Only a Moment
by JadeTiger
Summary: Sally finds she does not have much time left, can she and Wufei keep thrie emotions under control and save themselfs from heart break? YA this was my first attempt at a fic , but I'll get better I promise! RXR
1. Mission#1

Disclaimer: If this is a fanfic, would the owner write it? No he would have someone else write it for him, and get all the money for it, I aren't!   
  
Only a moment...  
Chapter 1  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
Mission # 1  
  
  
Blinding light was the welcome he got when trying to open his eyes. The sun was starting to set, and a few of the brighter stars had appeared A soft trickling of water somewhere close. A steadfast drip, drip, drip . . . Maybe it was starting, drag but couldn't be sure. Other then that, and the odd sound of a song bird overhead there was no sound. No traffic off in the distance, no planes, nothing. So peaceful and serine, I don't want to move, but I need to find out what happened, and Sally.. Where is she?  
  
A warm breeze washed over him but it only made him colder. Pain rocked through him at the thought of moving. How had he got there? Where was there? Why was he in so much pain?  
  
'Open your eyes and see where you are'. His mind told him. 'See if you can get help, or something'.   
  
Light blinded his eyes at first, before they were shielded by something. He tried again to look around, and saw that the thing that had shaded him was a tree branch. It swayed back and forth in the wind.   
  
'Where am I?' Slowly he stretched his fingers, then hands, trying to see what hurt most. As he stretched, he noticed the warm form draped across him. Tilting his head up he found a mound of sickly honey-colored hair.  
  
"Sally?" Wufei moaned as his vison came back into focuses. From what he could tell, her hair was unbound and flowing everywhere. Her arm was rapped around his torso, and her head was resting on his chest. Her face was mostly covered by her hair. She was resting peacefully. Her breath on his neck gave him shivers. But it felt so . . . so.. Wufei mentally shook himself.   
  
`No we're just partners . . . I would probably end up hurting her anyway I don't want to do that.` Wufei tried to remember what had happened to get him in this situation.   
  
Flash back   
  
"Will you keep it down already onna!" Wufei hissed at Sally as they moved through the forest, "You're going to give us away."  
  
"Oh hush up yourself!" Sally shot back at him, "I should lead for a while. Then I wouldn't have to look at your ass all the time!" They had been traveling through the woods for about two days now, and were approaching the base that they had been assigned to investigate. It was an old White Fang base that manufactured mobile suits during the Eve War, but rumor had it that there was still activity so Lady Une had sent Preventer Water, and Ice to see if the hear-say was true. There were no direct roads that lead to the base, so they decided to go through the woods following the edge of a river. The tops of the trees swayed back and forth in the wind, but on the ground it was hot and humid. The noon sun was high in the sky as they approached the base. Shadows of the factory could be seen thought the thick trees.   
  
"There it is, now be quite, and stay low."Wufei ordered. Sally rolled her eyes.   
  
"I know already baka. I've done this before remember?"He ignored this and moved forward. As they approached the buildings, they could see that the grass was quite long, and some of the lower windows of the factory had been broken. Once shiny metal structures now rusty and shabby. Still, they approached with caution. On the last mission the appearance was almost the same, and being careless almost cost them their lives.  
  
"We have to find our way to the main building. There should be something there." The high grass was hard to move through so they stayed mostly in the shadows to avoid being seen, for it would be too hard to run. The largest building stood in the middle of the abandoned buildings. Sally tried the nobs.  
  
"It's locked."   
  
"Only to you onna, stand aside"  
  
"Wufei don't.." With one swift movement Wufei kicked in the door. A cloud of dust rushed at them..   
  
"See. Simple." He said coughing because of the dust.   
  
"Too much testosterone I think . . . " Sally mumbled more to herself then to anyone in particular.  
  
"Huh."Was Wufei's only response before entering the building gun drawn. Inside was dark and even more dusty. A few dark shapes could be made out from what little light that came through the broken windows, and holes in the wall's and ceiling. The first room was empty, and the windows were covered in a thick layer of dust. Sally wiped off some of the dust. Light washed into all the empty room. Reflecting off the dust already in the air giving the appearance of a gold snow storm.   
  
"Looks like there's nothing here . . . "Sally observed."You mean we went through all this for nothing?"   
  
"We still might be able to find some clues that might help us onna. Don't be stupid." Suddenly a crashing sound came from deeper in the building.  
  
"Shhhh.." Wufei raised his gun again and moved further into the room. A dark hall way with a few doors was at the end of the first room. Slowly they moved trying to avoid the more noisy boards. The doors to the next four rooms were already open and held nothing. The door to the stair well hung off its hinges. The steel stair cast twisted up and out of site into the darkness above.   
  
"Wufei, it was probably just an animal. No one could be here. It's been abandoned for years, anyone can tell by the state of this place."  
  
"Be quite onna. I'm not taking any chances.. We are going to check it out and that's final."He answered not even looking at her. This didn't go over well with Sally.  
  
"Wufei what is your problem?"  
  
"Shhhh"  
  
"Argh!" She marched ahead and up the stairs. The past few weeks Wufei had been getting on her nerves more then usual. She was used to putting up with his narrow sited ness, and his chauvinist bull shit, but he hadn't call her by her name in a long while. She'd heard him say it before, so he should still be able to right? So why hasn't he?   
  
`Cause he's Wufei that's why, duh!` Her mind told her. `He was raised to treat women like that it's not his fault.`   
  
`But its still aggravating`  
  
`Ya, but just be patient. You're good at that, and it won't matter what he says to you soon anyway`  
  
"Sally don't!" Sally froze in mid stride. Not really because he had said her name, but because of the fact that the stair in front of her had just given out. It clanged loudly as it continued to bounce off of other stairs as it fell. She slowly stepped back down to the floor.  
  
"Don't be so headstrong women. " Wufei put a hand on her arm and pulled her back.   
  
"The stairs won't hold a person. It was probable just an animal or something. This is pointless there is no reason for us to be here. Its empty. Come on lets get a hold of Une and get a ride out of this place before this storm hits." He released her arm and walked back down the hall. Sally nodded.  
  
"Right." But a movement up in the darkness caught her eye. She stared up trying to force her eyes to focus on the point where she had thought she saw the movement. There was something up there. Something alive, and with little shinny eyes.  
Wufei was half way down the hall when Sally let out an ear piercing scream. He was half turned around when Sally flew by and started to drag him down the hall.  
  
"W..What are you doing??"  
  
"Run!"  
  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
He watches Sally sleep there. She was so peaceful, and quite. She looked like an angel. With golden hair, soft and silky, with the faint hint of roses in it. He looked around him. They were in a shelter of trees a few meters away from the river. The two sleeping bags that they had brought with them were both open and made into a bed which was where he was laying with Sally. A small fire was burning to the right, and hanging up on the surrounding trees were their clothes. Well most of them anyway still dripping wet. The last thing he remembered was falling. Then darkness. And then waking up here.   
  
"Welcome back Wufei. I didn't think you were going to wake up so soon." Sally looked up into his dark eyes. Wufei just watched her wide eyed as she sat up and turned around hurriedly to buttoned her open shirt. She had on a pair of shorts, and a white short sleeve blouse. Her bra was off-white, and lacy. Wufei found himself staring slack jawed at her, and mentally slapped himself.  
  
"Women, you have no honor. "  
  
"Wufei, no I don't. This was the only was I could warm you up. Now lie still, I have to see if you have broken anything."  
  
Wufei watched her for a moment, before he realized what was happening. Sally had gone into doctor mode.  
  
'Oh great now there's no reasoning with her! It is almost as bad as Heero's perfect solider mode'. Wufei almost screamed when Sally ripped back the top sleeping bag without warning, to see him only in his boxers.   
  
"Ahhh!! Women!!!!" He grabbed it back from her and wrapped it around his waist. "How dare you!? Injustice!"  
  
"Oh Wufei grow up, I'm a doctor remember? I've seen men before . . . " she tried to control the smirk on her face. The great dragon was embarrassed, and was he ever! He was redder then she ever thought was even possible to blush. Sally knew that, that was a mean thing to do but the look on his face was worth it.  
  
"Not me you won't be onna! I'm fine all right I don't need, or want your help got that!" He snapped back at her, but swayed a bit however when he sat up. "I'm fine.."  
  
"Stay still right now Wufei. Lay back down. I know your head hurts, you have a small concision from that wack you got, but you should be all right in a little time. Now stay right here, I'm going to see if I can find the communicator I dropped it in the river. It might have washed down like most of the rest." Sally stood and began to walk back to the river. "There are some dry clothes there." She gestured to the small pile of fabric laying next to him as she moved away. As Wufei watched her disappear into the forest, he noticed that she had a slight limp and both her legs had been bandaged almost completely. He watched her disappear out of site. Taking this opportunity he quickly got dressed.  
  
`She must have gotten hurt really badly, if she never said anything about that last remark. Sally usually will snap back after I say something like that. But she didn't . . . I should go check on her`  
  
Wufei finished getting dresses and followed Sally back to the river. When he arrived, he found her wading. The water was almost up to her mid thigh, and for the first time Wufei noticed how short Sally's shorts actually were. They were nothing more then a cut off pair of jeans, slightly unraveled and the fabric seemed to be almost like her skin it was so tight. Once again he found it hard to get control of himself. What was happening to him? Why was he looking at Sally like that, he never before. She was the same person she was four days ago, even four years ago. She had always been pretty, but then again so were half the other female workers at HQ, but then he never payed any attention to them. They were all typical annoying, stupid, whiney, gossip loving onna's. Sally on the other hand could use a weapon better them most men he knew, and a lot smarter in battle operations and strategies too. He admired her for this.   
  
"Damn.."  
  
"What was that Wufei?" Sally asked looking over to him. Wufei was stunned.. He had said that out loud?  
  
"Errr . . . I said. Have you found the damn thing yet onna? What's keeping you?"  
  
"It's hard to see the bottom, and I don't want to step on anything sharp ok?" She looked back at the water as she keeps searching. Wufei just watched her for what seemed like hours, walking back and forth in the water. The sun was just above the horizon now making it too hard to see anything in the river. Wufei realized that they should go back and get some more wood for the fire before it ran out. They were going to end up staying there in the woods over night even if they found the communicator, the search party wouldn't be able to go get them till morning anyway. That is if they could at all.  
  
Sally looked up at the sky as a cold wind started to pick up. It was getting dark and much colder quite fast now. A rumbling sound came from the distance. And a faint flash of light to go with it. The Hurricane that had been downgraded to a tropical storm had been heading in this direction last time Sally had heard the weather report, and it was supposed to disappear as it crossed the Atlantic, and be nothing when it hit the main land but that had been four days ago. These were not usual storm clouds. They had formed too fast for that. It was the storm and it was going to hit them.  
  
"Onna! Come on. Get out of there. You'll never find it now. It's too late."  
  
Flash Back  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
He glared at her with a look that would have made Heero back away. But she didn't stop. She just keeps getting louder and louder. Tears ran down her face as she cried. She fell over holding her sides in pain. She wanted to stop. She really wanted to tell him that she was sorry, but she couldn't. It's not that she didn't try to it was that every time she went to look at his face she had to look away. It was just too much. It was too painful to look at that face. The tears that had started on her cheeks were now running off her chin and onto the grass. He stood there watching her. The frown on his face fading shortly as his mouth opened to speak one word. The one word that he could say at that moment.  
  
"Weak . . . "  
  
  
TBC . . 


	2. Time at The Plant

. Disclaimer: If this is a fanfic, would the owner write it? No he would have someone else write it for him, and get all the money for it, I aren't!   
  
Only a moment...  
Chapter2  
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Time at the Plant.  
  
  
"Hehehe..HAHA!..." Sally looked up at her partners red face again only to laugh more. Her sides hurt, and she couldn't get any air, but it was just too funny.   
  
` OK Sally you have to stop now. Wufei had the look of death in his eyes. Think of something else..` Sally tried to think of something else but the only thing that came to mind was Wufei running past Sally on there was back out of the building, screaming bloody murder. She didn't know that Wufei had a fear of bats until he looked back into the building as she was dragging him out, and one hit him square in the face. His frantic screams were priceless! She herself didn't mind bats but she also didn't want to be in the way when they flew, so she ran. But Wufei keep running after they got out. Well for about a hundred yards anyway, before he tripped and fell. By the time she got to him, he had recovered from the bat attack and was wiping the mud off of his face.   
  
"Hehe..."   
  
"...."  
  
"Ha HA HA...!!!" Sally burst out laughing again.  
  
Wufei shook his head. He too thought it was pretty funny, but he would never be caught laughing at himself. His pride and honor wouldn't allow it. And he most surely would not be caught laughing with a weak women. He wanted to ask her to stop laughing but when she looked up at him with her blue eyes shimmering with laughter he froze. Just at that moment, for that little meaningless moment he didn't care that she was laughing at him. He enjoyed seeing her smile and laugh. Now that Wufei thought of it he hadn't seen her smile in quite some time. ` It must have been the mission she was worried about. But its really nice to see her smile.` Even if it was at him, for something he did stupid. It stung his Gundam pride to be laughed at, but her voice was like a melody to his hears. He had never heard her laugh like that before. Only a short laugh here, and there but never whole hearted side splitting laughter. He let a smile play on his lips for a moment before she looked up again. She looked cute..  
  
"Ahh...Hehe.... Sorry Wufei I didn't mean..." Sally started before she was cut off by a hand. Wufei offered his hand to help her up. Slowly she took it, "I didn't mean to laugh at you like that Wufei." In one movement Wufei pulled her to her feet, and came face to face with her. Their breath mixing between them in the warm air.  
  
"Just don't mention it alright."  
  
Sally didn't know what to do. What was Wufei thinking? What was that in his eyes just now? His sent filled her nose, and his breath brushed her cheek. Sally tried to step back but the grip he had on her hand hadn't lessened. If anything it got stronger. She was lost in a sea of darkness in his eyes. Surrounded by the black of his eyes as she thawed like ice before them. But she wasn't afraid of it, it was safe.. She couldn't remember where she was, nor did she even care.   
  
"Ok.." She answered after what seemed like a long moment with nothing more then a whisper. Why hadn't she had air? When did she forget breathe? Was he moving.. Toward her? He didn't say anything just nodded. Never breaking eye contact.   
  
He realized her hand and turned away. `What am I doing!? No, no, NO!!!` I will not allow myself to got closer to her! No! Never! I don't want to lose her too. Its bad enough she's my partner.` He took the communicator out of his bag and started dialing.   
  
Sally stared at his back for a minute. What was that about? She looked down at her hand still tingling from his grip. That was weird. God I wish he would hold my hand again. His hands are so much bigger them mine. He's grown a lot in the past few years, he's a real man now. And a really good looking one at that... What am I thinking?? It couldn't happen, I wont' let it. If he got too close to me right now he might..... Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Wufei's voice talking to someone on the phone.   
  
"Ice here. This place is clear we request a pick up........... when?.. WHAT!!!... Argh! INJUSTICE!" he hung up. Glaring at it. "Incompetent people! Of all the stupid! We have to go back to town on foot, because they said to was too dangerous to send a chopper right before the storm hits. We're going to have to go all the way back on foot!!!"  
  
  
  
Lady Une hung up the phone on the other end. The rain ran down the window outside as a small flash lit the sky. Trees stirred as the winds began to picked up.  
  
"I'm sorry Sally. I couldn't send you on a real mission. I hope you can forgive me.." another flash lit the sky. "Please make it back safe. I know he will protect you."  
  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
5hours later.   
  
"Ouch! God dam it!" Wufei looked back at Sally who was trying to pull her hair free from a branch.   
  
"I could cut that if you want me too." he offered.  
  
"Thanks Wufei but I like my hair on my head."  
  
"Not your hair, the branch."  
  
"Oh.. Uh. Ya thank you Wufei." He approached taking out his sword. Sally's eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. "Uh. Wufei don't do that!"   
  
The steal blade whizzed as it past her ear. She froze not daring to move. Nothing.. Not a sound after that. Sally opened her eyes, he was already walking away. Her hand instantly went to her hair.. It was still there, and the branch was gone.  
  
"Come on." he yelled back at her.  
  
Sally quickly caught up with him. They walked in silence for what seemed like hours till they came to the bridge. A rope bridge that extended across the river. They started to cross. It was the same bridge that they had crossed on their way to the plant a few hours before. The river was now raging wildly under their feet, much stronger then earlier that day. Waves crashed against the jagged rocks bellow sending up cold spray into the air. Blending with the rays of the sun it caused small rainbows to dance on the water surface. The rope stretched and strained under their weight.   
  
"Wufei I don't trust this bridge very much."  
  
"Sally I ..." the rope snapped and they were plunged into the cold water.   
  
End flash back  
  
TBC.... 


	3. Shadows of Memory

Only a Moment....  
Chapter3  
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Shadows of Memories . . .  
  
  
  
Sally climbed out of the river, and after Wufei. The wind was picking up now, as the first drops of rain started. They quickly gathered up their few belongings. They were going to have to find shelter now. This was going to be a worse storm then they first thought.   
  
"Damn it! We can't stay out in the open like this! We need a place to stay till this passes."  
  
"This way! I found a place earlier we might be able to use." Sally led him to a huge tree deeper in the forest. The top half of it was missing, and the bottom half turned out to be hollow. A small opening in the side led into the empty cavity. There was not a lot of headroom. It was more long and narrow then anything. About 4 feet high you could sit up against the 'wall' in certain places. The sides were mostly made up of the roots of the old tree.   
  
"Sally why didn't you say anything about this place earlier?" Wufei asked pulling the rest of their supplies in the small opening. Bumping his head on the low ceiling, he cursed.  
  
"Well I though maybe I could find the communicator and get us a ride out of here, and I couldn't drag your senseless carcass any further." Sally turned on a flashlight and hung it up in the roots of the tree. Sally stretched out the sleeping bags again into a makeshift bed one for the top and one for the bottom, and placed her backpack as a pillow.  
  
Wufei watched her the whole time. He couldn't understand why she was doing this. They had been in similar situations before, but he could sense that there was something wrong with Sally. Something just didn't seem to be right with her. A flash of light brought him back to his task. Using one of the garbage bags they had, he covered the entrance to there small hole. Punching some holes in the plastic with his finger to keep air flowing through.   
  
The rain started, making a patter sound as it hit the plastic. He turned back to Sally. She was back to him and something was wrong. She was curled up hugging herself. A crack of thunder confirmed what Wufei thought. She pulled herself closer. Sally was afraid of thunder.   
  
"Sally . . . you ok?" he asked placing a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump.   
  
"Fine," she answered in a calm voice. But it did nothing to cover the fear on her face. He could make fun of her right now, as revenge for earlier, but for some reason he couldn't. He didn't want to hurt her. Swallowing his pride, Wufei crawled past Sally to the back of the hole. Sitting up against the wall, he motioned for her to come sit in front of him . . .   
  
"Come." It was a straight, and firm command. The kind he usually gave when faced with a situation, he didn't know how to deal with. Slowly Sally crawled over to him and sat down. They looked at each other for a moment before he grabbed her arm. Pulling her she stumbled into him. Her chin on his shoulder, and her hands on the front of his jacket. At first she didn't know what to do, they had never been this close before. Reaching down behind her, he pulled the sleeping bag around them.   
  
"Sleep." He commanded, only this time it was more of a whisper. Adjusting slightly she rested her head on his chest again. She could hear his heart beat through his jacket. It was fast and hard. Sally smiled to herself, and started to fade off. Thunder and lightning continued to fill the sky as the temperature started to drop.  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
Rain continued to pour down from above, as the wind whipped past the small opening of their tree. He was still awake, still watching her sleep in his arms. That's where he wanted her, right then, right there. Sally squirmed as she snuggled closer to his body heat in her sleep. Wufei chuckled softly. `She is so beautiful, even with her hair falling down out of its usual style.` He pulled the sleeping bag closer around them.   
  
"Stop."  
  
Wufei looked down at her in surprise. He thought she was asleep, but he might have been wrong. She hadn't moved, or opened her eye. He watched her a bit longer. Was she dreaming?  
  
"Please."Tears rolled down her face as she started to cry.  
  
"Sally what's wrong?"  
  
  
  
**Sally's dream**  
  
*Light flashed. A small girl about the age of 10 huddled deeper under the covers. Shadows moved across the walls, onto the floor, and up the side of the bed. Branches scratched the window every so often as the wind would pick up. Sounding like some ones fingernails trying to find a way into her room from the storm outside.   
  
A clap of thunder echoed through the small house. Another clap shook the far wall, or at least that's what she wanted to believe. She knew it wasn't the storm outside that had shook the house that time. It was the storm inside. More furious and deadly then anything nature could dream up. This was the storm of her life. The one she had been born into, and knew would soon kill her.   
  
Just like it was doing right now . . . to her mother.   
  
Another scream and the wall shook again with the force of the body that had hit it. Screaming . . . screaming bloody murder. And that's what it was. Murder. The murder of her mother because of what she was. Something that could not be change, only persuasion, shamed, and beaten on a regular basis.  
  
Another scream, this time from the killer. Trying to block out the words' she hide deeper in the bed. Crying . . . screaming . . . her body being slammed against the wall over and over again. Thunder mixed with the crying, increasing the pain. Fear. She didn't want to be alone. She wanted to be with her mother. Even if it meant she would die the same way.   
  
Slowly she moved, off the bed and onto the floor. Slowly she crawled to the door. The angry words were easy to make out now. One of the board under her creaked. She froze. But the screaming and pounding went on . . . opening the door and crawling out into the short hall way, she moved for the door with a crack of light from beneath. Lighting lit up the hall for a moment, before it was once again cast in dark.   
  
The dark was good. The dark was safe. The dark you could hide in. The young girl moved further and peaked through the key hole.   
  
Blood . . . everywhere. On the walls it ran to the floor where it puddled with the rest. Shreds of fabric stuck to the bloodied form on the floor. The girl's eyes widened in fear. He had always beaten her, but never to this extent. She couldn't even recognize her own mother.  
  
"Worthless bitch!" the man kicked her. "Why did I ever agree to marry you? What was my father thinking when he arranged that damn marriage? I never got a good thing out of the whole thing!" he kicked her again.   
  
She cried out again. "Stop, please stop. I'll try again. Please . . . " her voice was chocked with tears, and her blood where she had bitten her tongue. He himself was covered in it, but he could care less.   
  
"No, you're not even worthy to look at me. You couldn't do a simple thing like give me a son. Instead you gave me a good-for-nothing girl!" he kicked her again. This time hard enough to cause her head to hit against the wall. "Now I'm going to have to see if that brat can do anything useful for me, you can't!" He spat at her.  
  
The girl on her knees now watched in horror as he grabbed his sword off the shelf. "I should have done this a long time ago." He swung the sword at her.   
  
"Mother!"  
  
The man stopped, and turned to the door. His eyes widening in anger. " You little bitch! Now I'll have to kill you too."   
  
"Leave her alone! Sally run!" her mother flung herself at father. Sally never saw her mother again, she turned and ran out the back door and into the storm. Another scream was heard above the wind as her father ran her through. She keeps running. Deeper into the woods, and farther from that house and him. The rain soaked her clothes and chilled her to the bone, she keeps running. He was right behind her.   
  
"You get back here!" his voice hissed with anger. He was getting closer. Branches whipped her face. The briers cut her legs and left them cut and bleeding. She could hear him getting closer. Finally the trees parted. She was at the edge of a river. The water thundered past her feet in raged by the rain from the storm.   
  
"Sally!"  
  
She turned. There he was. Blood trickled off the blade of the sward in his hand. Madness flashing in his eyes. She stepped back, and fell into the water. Cold, and dark.*  
  
  
"No!" Sally screamed and ran from Wufei's arms.   
  
TBC . . . 


	4. Wondering. . .

Only a Moment . . .   
Chapter4  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
Wondering. . .  
  
  
"Sally wait! What is the matter with you?" Wufei threw the sleeping bag off and ran after Sally into the storm. Thunder cracked over head, as the rain now came down in sheets. It was hard for him to pursue her through the hard rain. She was slipping on the leaves, and mud. Her vision is blurred because of the tears, and rain in her eyes. Her foot slipped on a rock and she fell to the ground.  
  
Wufei finally was able to grab her.   
  
"Please no," her voice was hoarse from crying. He turned her around to face him. "Sally look at me! It's me, look at me!" He pleads with her. Her eyes stung from the rain. Her clothes clung to her cold body. She didn't know where she was. "Wufei . . . " she looked at him. His eyes showed worry.  
  
"Sally . . . " lightning flashed again.  
  
"I. "Sally turned her face from him and keep crying. How could she face him now? After what she just did, she felt so stupid. Now she would never hear the end of this. `Sally running from a dream.` She had, had this nightmare so many times in the past but never had she actually fled. Something brushed her face. She jerked away, but it came again. A hand. His hand was on her cheek brushing away tears. For a moment Sally didn't dare to move, afraid that she might scare him away. She leaned into it a bit, then gave in. Sally buried her face in his chest.   
  
Wufei paused for a moment before wrapping her arms around her. " It's ok now." He rub her back trying to calm her. "Shhh. It ok. Calm down." It keeps raining as thunder cracks again. "Sally come-on. You're shivering."   
  
He started to pick her up when she stopped him. "No I can walk . . . Please." He sat her back down, and helped her to her feet. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shivering shoulders. It probably didn't help much, because it was socked with rain. They walked back to the hollow tree Wufei's arms around her waist. Sally crawled in first, close behind was Wufei. Leaning against the side, she looked at Wufei. Now she would have to explain what happened. Why she was so afraid.  
  
"Wufei I . . . " She started but he cut her off.   
  
"Please one second, Sally we have to get you wet clothes off you. You're going to catch your death." Wufei knew that the temperature had dropped dangerously low and if they were to avoid dying from it they would have to remove their wet clothes and stay together for body heat. He had overheard Sally say that one day while training new recruits. It is a simple survival technique.  
  
He started to take off her jacket because Sally's fingers were numb from the cold. He was so into what he was doing he didn't catch the look she was giving him. He took off his jacket then hers before going to her boots and socks. Her white shirt clung to her leaving very little to the imagination as to the color, style, and lacy pattern of her bra, but he had already seen it before. He started to unbutton her shirt, when she stopped his hands. He looked at her hands before looking at her face. He couldn't see in her eyes what it was, but he had a good idea why she stopped him.  
  
  
"Sorry, I'll turn around." He turned around, and Sally smiled slightly. He was being very nice to her. `Must have been the recent run in with insanity.` She removed the rest of her clothes and wrapped herself in one of the sleeping bags. "All right Wufei, you can look now."  
  
He turned back around.   
  
"Now you . . . You're just as cold as me." Without a second thought she crawled into the back of the small space, and lay down facing the tree wall. She listened to him ruffle around, his wet clothes making a sloping sound as he pulled his shirt over his head before he lay next to her. She was a bit startled when he put an arm around her and pulled her to him.  
  
"We have to stay warm. Or we'll get hypothermia." He breathed on her cheek. It made her shiver, and he pulled her closer to him. "If you don't want me to do anything just say, all right . . and I'll stop."   
  
"All right . . . " Sally began to relax in his arms. It felt nice there. He hadn't asked her why she had run yet. Maybe he wouldn't, or was he just waiting till later when he was sure she had calmed down enough. A rock began to poke her side. She shifted a bit but it only made it worse.   
  
"What's wrong?" She turned in his arms to look at him. His gaze was intense, and still full of concern. He released her a bit.  
  
"Just a rock. Fine now." But now she was facing him. His eyes still burned deep into hers. He moved onto his back and reached for the flashlight and turned it off. And then in the dark he pulled her close to his body once again, tucking her head under his chin. His hand tangled in her hair while the other wrapped around her waist. She felt him stiffen as she adjusted herself to be comfortable, before he relaxed. It felt nice there. Warm and safe, and close.   
  
"Wufei." She breathed.  
  
"Go to sleep." He whispered into her hair. The faint smell of roses, and fresh rain was making Wufei light headed. He started to nuzzle Sally's hair trying to get lost on the sent. He breathed her sent in. He felt at peace now. All he wanted to do was protect her from the world. He would have done anything just to stay there with her in his arms, if only she would stop crying.  
  
Sally's heart hung heavy. She wanted to tell him why she had acted the way she had. She wanted to tell him how much he meant to her. She wanted to tell him to stop being nice to her. That it would all be for nothing, and that it would only hurt him later. But she couldn't, she didn't want to. All she wanted was to be there. With him it didn't hurt as much. That with him close she did feel pain, only . . . love? No, he didn't love her, and never would. And if he did? No, she would have to change that, she didn't want to hurt him any more then she already would. But for right now, it didn't matter. A few more tears fell before she was finally asleep. Thunder rocked the skies over head long into the night, and into the next day.  
  
  
TBC . . . 


	5. A Question to Ask

Only a Moment..  
Chapter5  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
"A Question To Ask.."Beep."  
  
Pull blanket over head.  
  
"Beep, beep, beep."  
  
Roll over.  
  
"Beep, beep . . . BEEP!"   
  
Sit up, look around.   
  
One flashlight was on at the door of the hole sending shadows over everything through the branches. Wufei glanced down at the spot next to him. Sally was not there. Turning he found her sitting a few feet away. She was still wrapped in the sleeping bag from the night before. Wufei rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Sally what are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She turned back to the beeping object in her hands.   
  
Wufei crawled over beside her to get a better look. It was a tracking beacon of some kind or other.   
  
"Where did you get that?" Wufei asked.  
  
"Actually, I kind of made it. From the other broken communicator that got trashed in the last swim in the river, some parts I picked up at the factory . . . and your razor. Hope you don't mind too much. I almost have it working."Argh women, some times you . . . " he trailed off not knowing the words he wanted.  
"Drive me crazy?" Sally finished his sentence with a smile. He gazed into her eyes. They were laughing at him. He liked it. She looked so happy. But he would not be laughed at for any reason.   
  
"You're laughing at me again."No, I'm not. Did it sound like I was laughing at you?"I can see it in your eyes. You're smiling."Is there anything wrong with that?"You should smile more often. You look beautiful when you do."   
  
She felt a blush rise on her cheeks.   
  
"So how is this thing of yours suppose to work?"  
  
"Umm. Well see I used most of the broken communicator and rewire it so that instead of receiving a signal, it will transmit one. I've managed to adjust it to a preventor frequency, and have it on an SOS pattern. If they pick it up, they'll know where we are and be ably to pick us up when this storm passes."  
  
"So until them were stuck in this hole because of the weather."That's what it looks like."  
  
"Great."  
  
"So."  
  
"So."  
  
"So what?"  
  
"I don't know?"  
  
"Don't know what your going on about.  
  
"Well then why are you going on?"I don't know. You started this.  
  
"Sense when?  
  
"Sense now."  
  
"Ya right."  
  
"Damn right.  
  
"I think you hit your head harder then I thought.  
  
"I didn't hit my head.  
  
"Yes you did."  
  
"When?"  
  
"After you fell off the bridge. You got a good wack on the head, and I thought you had drowned, but I guess you're just too stubborn to die like that. It took me forever to swim you to shore.   
  
"You saved me?"  
  
"Well . . . ya I guess . . . you still owe me twenty bucks from last week. Do you really think I would let you get out of that?"  
  
Wufei smiled. "I should have known that you wouldn't let me get out of that for any reason." Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the wall when suddenly something hit him in the face. He opened his eyes and there was Sally's soft off-white, lace bra in his face. His eyes widened.   
  
"Ummmmm . . . "Hehe."Sally your laughing at me again."Hehe. Sorry, but the look on your face was priceless. Sorry about that. I kind of hung a few things up to dry." Sally said looking around.  
  
She had hung up most of their wet clothes around the small hole making it seem smaller still. Sally removed the bra from Wufei's face for he did not seem to want and touch a womanly undergarment for any reason, even if it was on his face. Thunder and rain continued outside the hollow tree which was now their home. They sat there quietly for a few moments not knowing really what to say. Well Sally not knowing what to say, Wufei was no great conversationalist to start with. Finally it came. What Sally had dreaded sense last night. Wufei spoke.  
  
"Sally."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"May I ask you something?"..." Wufei took this as a response to the unasked question, and continued.   
  
"I . . . I. Want to help you."  
  
"You can't." Her face was turned away from him, as her hands played with the communicator. Just rolling it around trying to look like she was doing something.  
"Please." He reached out his left hand and moved her falling hair from in front of her face. She jerked away turning further away.  
  
Wufei didn't know what to do. He had never in the past four years of working together had she ever acted the way she was now. She was completely out of character for this situation. There was something hurting his partner and he was not going to stop till he found out what the problem was and solved it. The only thing was, was that Sally didn't want to talk about it, and he was already stretched to his vocal limit, and didn't have anywhere else to go from there. Wufei closed his eyes and took a deep breath. To do this he was going to have to break down a few walls of his, and somehow be able to break through hers. He needed to find the right words to get Sally to tell him what the matter was. He hopes it wasn't him. That he was not the reason she was crying in her sleep, or running in fear. She was the only person who he actually wanted to be partners with. No one else in HQ wanted any mission that he was going on because he couldn't stand anyone, and they couldn't stand him. But she had always been there somewhere close willing to go with him on dangerous missions. She was the only one who he could get along with. Well most of the time anyway. Sometimes they would get into arguments about one thing or another, but they most often came to an agreeable understanding. She would always say she was sorry, and once in a blue moon Wufei would do the same. Even when he got into his angry rages, she was the one who ended up calming him down. He wanted her back, and he was willing to do whatever it took to get his partner back. Wufei slid over behind her.   
  
Slowly not to frighten her he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "Sally what are you afraid of?"  
  
He rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes the scent of her hair drugging him again. She stiffened. A drop of water splashed on Wufei's arm. He looked above him for a moment. No indication of leaking. Another drop. Sally trembled as she drew in a shake breath.  
  
"You."   
  
TBC . . . 


	6. Unexpected anwsers

Only a Moment . . .   
Chapter6  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
"Unexpected answers"  
  
  
  
Wufei froze.` No, she didn't just say that. What have I done? What was I doing to frighten her?` He released his grip around her and moved away. It then hit him. `I'm being touchy with her. I almost kissed her at the plant, and I held her last night before she ran from me. And then on top of that I had almost stripped her! Why am I such an idiot for doing that stuff in the first place? The running should have been a clue in! No . . . the backing away was the first clue, but I was just too stupid not to notice it, now I've scared her.`  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so touchy with you. I just . . . "He began. `Man saying you're sorry is hard enough, but saying you're sorry about this?` If Wufei could have, he would have crawled under his bed and stayed there. He felt so bad for what he had done to Sally.  
  
"No Wufei it's not that. It's not you." Sally's voice cracked with every word.  
  
"Yes it is, you just said it was."  
  
"It's me . . . I don't want to hurt you. I should have told you before now. But I didn't want to burden you." Her words were cut into by her sobs. She had to tell him now. She had to tell him everything. It wasn't fair to leave him in the dark about something like this. And she was now out of time to do anything to change it. `This was going to happen so he might as well know before it does. I already have everything that needs to be done, finished so there is no one who will have to do anything when the time comes. They have all been so good to me, especially Wufei. I just wish I had more time to spend with him. He's being so nice right, now. It will be hard to say good bye to him. I hope he won't be mad at me. I'm not sure I could take that right now. I'm having such a hard time as it is, I feel so useless.`   
  
Wufei watched her start to cry. He hated to see her cry like this. He wanted to take her pain away but how? He was still unsure about another hug, but it was better then watching her do this alone. Again he moved forward and enclosed her in his arms. He cradled her head against his chest.  
  
"Its ok, just tell me what the problem is."  
  
"Wufei . . . " Each choked word seamed like a cry for help. "I. . . I'm." Her voice choked with more tears. Her body quaked with sobs as she fought them back. Never had she ever wanted to cry in front of Wufei. Her mind went back over all the times he had called her a weak onna, and every time she had promised herself that she would never prove him wrong, and now here she was seeking comfort from him. Even if she did love him, she did have pride and, crying for him to see, was something she had never wanted to do.   
  
Wufei now dangled from every word she said. `Was she saying what I think she's trying to say? Had she been hurt like that? Is that what she was tying to tell me? On our last mission had she been forced against her will to do something like that? She had said nothing had happened to her and she was fine but there had been too much worry, and fear in the response she gave. However I had let it pass assuming that if anything had happened she would have said not cover it up. She is a much stronger person then to let it slide for fear of shame.`  
  
He had lost her for a day or two after they had been captured, and by the time backup had gotten there, and he found her tided up in one of the back rooms. She had been striped of most of her clothing and was extremely sick from pneumonia. When he went to help her, she had moved away in fear. She had called him by another name, another man. Someone that had most likely hurt her. She was afraid of him, for some reason . . . He prayed no. He would personally track down and kill each and everyone who touched her, and did this to her! His teeth grinded together, as his nails drew blood from his palms. No he was too weak to protect her. He should have been there.   
  
"Wufei I'm . . . "  
  
"It's all right. I'll take care of you." He wrapped her tighter in his embrace trying to control her shaking. Closing his eyes he hid his face in her soft hair. He would take care of her from anyone else who came along.  
  
"Wufei, I'm going to die." Sally choked on her tears. God she felt so scared. She hated herself for telling him, and putting this on his shoulders, but he deserved to know what was going on. Maybe it was better to tell him then let him figure it out by himself. After four years of being partners, it was the least she could do.   
  
Wufei's heart stopped.`What does that mean? What does she mean she's going to die? I don't understand . . . How would she know something like this?`  
  
"Sally . . . " Wufei prayed into her hair. `She was dying? How could she be dying? She can't die. She is too strong.` His head was spinning from the information that Sally had just given him. Wufei was going to lose the best partner he had ever had, and in many ways his best friend too. He couldn't go through losing someone he loved again . . . He loved her? Yes . . . but it didn't seem to matter anymore, now she was gone he was alone. Just like when he lost Merina, and he felt after the Eve wars had ended and he had no meaning. He was now alone again. `This is the second time I've lost my love . . . Why does this always happen to me? I know I did some unacceptable things in my past but do I have to go through that again?`  
  
"Wufei. What's wrong?"She brushed her tears away and, and gazed up into his face.  
  
"No Sally. I don't want to lose you. I don't . . . " His voice was low. Wufei closed his eyes as he tilted his head back against the tree wall. He was finding it hard to get the right words together. He didn't want to say good bye.   
  
"Wufei I'm not dead yet. I still have some time left . . . Stop it. You're making me feel even more guilty for telling you. Please Wufei."As she finished this her tears and pain came back in a rush. Clinging to his chest she started to sob again. She had hurt him, the last thing she wanted to do. This was all her faut, and there was nothing she could do to fix it.   
  
Wufei heard her pleads, and looked at her. Her face was red from crying, and trying to hold it back. He had to be strong for her. She needed his strength. Pushing his sadness aside he wrapped her in his arms again and started to rub her back to calm her, and his feelings.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's all right." Wufei nuzzled the top of her head in comfort. `This would explain why she had been so down lately. She must have found out a few weeks ago. Now that I think about it that's when I noticed she was behaving a bit differently. She stopped arguing with me and let me win, even when I knew she was right. And then this tired look she's been getting, like not enough sleep or like something was slowly draining her strength. When we had that dinner banquet a week ago, she didn't eat anything where she normally ate all she could, and took some home. But she never even got a plate. Why am I so stupid!? Why didn't I notice this before? Why haven't I been helping her like I should have been this whole time. . .`  
  
"Please stop crying Sally." He wiped the tears from her face again. "How did this happen? Did they do something to you on our last mission? Sally what did they do to you, please you have to tell me if you want me to help you."  
  
"Wufei they did nothing to me but beat me. They never touched me like that, if that is what your thinking. I was sick before we went on that mission. There is nothing that can be done about it. I'm going to die soon and . . . "  
  
"How soon?"An urgency in his voice.  
  
"My doctor said I had about a year and a half or so left . . . I got everything taken care of so no one has to worry about anything when the time comes. I've been looking around for a new partner for you, and I . . . "  
  
"I don't want a new partner."  
  
Sally bit back the tears again.` Oh why does he have to be like this? He's killing me, it hurts so much. How come he can't be that arrogant, annoying person he usually is? Why is he acting so soft, and caring toward me? Because I'm dying? That's it, he's taking pity on me, because I'm a weak woman, and am incapable to get through this on my own. `   
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Don't say that! It's not you, don't say it again."She did not want special treatment from him. It would only draw her mind back to the reason for it. What she wanted him to do was act as if nothing had happened. As if she had never told him.  
  
Wufei shut his mouth before he said it again. He was so sorry for not seeing it before, and waiting till the last minute again to realize what she meant to him. "How?"  
  
"What?" Sally asked with a sniffle.   
  
"How are you going to . . . What is causing this?"Wufei held her close to him. It felt good to have her this close. They had long sense forgot about the fact that they were both nude except for the sleeping bags around them, but neither cared.   
  
"Nothing that can be stopped. It is one of the new forms of blood cancer . . . It is just running its corse with me, there's nothing that can be done."   
  
Rain continued to pelt down outside their small home, while the thunder and lighting had stopped. The wind that blew in the cracks around the bag stung his tan skin with icy teeth. Like frozen ants, the cold air marched up his spine and dug its fangs into his the soft parts of his neck. The air seemed to be getting colder all of a sudden. He pulled the sleeping bag up over his head covering his neck.   
  
"Sally, have you always known about this? I mean a long time, or just recently?"After he said it, it seamed like a pointless question. Why would it matter? She's going to die one way or the other.  
  
"I found out about four years ago, I think. A bit after we first met. The new drugs I've been taking are helping me a little. . . Four years. It seems like such a long time ago doesn't it? I'm surprised we haven't killed each other." She smiled weakly, her strength drained from her by the crying. The void in her soul steadily opening into darkness, and despair. Dragging her down with long black arms never to be seen again. That's how she felt. Falling with no hope. No one to catch her, not even Wufei.  
  
He held her tighter, as he remembered all they had gone through together. Dangerous missions, endless hours of paperwork long into the night, and the daily arguments which he had become accustomed too. They were soon going to be gone forever, and not a thing he could do. His job, well, her in particular had occupied the majority of the past four years. They shared an office together. Had to read over and fill out the same forms for hours, upon hours at a time. Went on most of their missions together. Shared the same hotel room on most of their missions. And those were the regular payed work hours. That didn't include the dinner banquets, the after work hours in the office. The trips to the coffee shop on the corner. The parties, dances, and many other things that they had done.   
  
His mind then wandered to all the things he hadn't done with her, and every chance he had to do them. The countless dances, and gatherings they had been forced to go to by Lady Une. Every time he had passed her sitting by herself at one of the tables watching those dancing before her. She had looked somewhat sad, and lost. `Why didn't I do something? I could have danced with her, at least once! It was pride, I was too proud to see what was happening to her, so I walked by. I am such an ass. Why, why, why. What was wrong with me?` He cursed himself repeatedly. If he had only taken a moment to see what was going on around him he could have been of some help to her. Instead he had been nothing but a selfish prick.   
  
Sally relaxed in his arm. She was amazed at how much he had grown sense they had first met. He was no longer the lost little boy she had saved, but a man. He could take care of himself, he didn't need her around anymore. Her personal task of making sure he lived long enough to become a man was over. Now she could rest and not have to worry about him.  
  
Her only wish was that he felt the same as her. All the time they had spent together, she couldn't help but fall in love with him. No matter how arrogant, how stubborn, how selfish he was, there was something about him that she couldn't resist. The way he presented himself for being equal to or above others around him. The way he never seemed to be afraid of anything at all. The way she wished she could have been as a child, or the way she wanted to be now.  
  
She did not want to be afraid of this death before her. This time when she faced death there was no turning, no running. She was going to face this and not be afraid. However, there was one thing on her mind at that time. She wanted to tell Wufei how she felt about him, and that scared her worse then death. She wanted to tell him that despite everything he had done, or said to her she was fully, unquestionably, head over heals in love with him. But it didn't matter. Time was up. If she were to tell him now, this would only put more on his shoulders.  
  
"Sally I wish you had told me sooner . . . I. There are so many things.." Every word was a struggle.  
  
"Wufei, you know what." Sally couldn't put up with this anymore.` Please stop right now Wufei, just act normal. Forget I told you and be stubborn and arrogant again. This gentleness from you, I don't know how to take it.`  
  
"What?"he asked softly.  
  
She smiled softly. "Your acting completely out of character you know this right?"  
  
"I'm finding it hard to.. Talk about this.."  
  
"So am I ." Silence fell between them again. The storm had eased up sense they had started talking, and a few bits of light began to poke through the holes in the plastic bag door, with it the after sent of the rain drifted in.   
  
Wufei's vision moved to the floor where the communicator lay blinking. They had not yet turned it on. Picking it up he examined it himself. Quite simple, and looked like it might just work, but he did not know how to activate it. Some of the buttons were from the communicator, and one button from his razor. He frowned and rubbed his chin, he would be alright till they got back to Head Quarters, a nice hot shower was what he wanted. 'Then an hour or two by myself to do some mediating, ah yes. That would be just right. But what about Sally? I will have to stay close to her from now on. She is too weak to be left alone.` Grinning he thought of what she would have said if she had heard him. Well he wasn't going to spend another day in this tree, he wanted to go home.   
  
"Sally, how do you.." Wufei stopped when he looked down at her. She had fallen asleep in his arms again. This was becoming a habit with her. He want to wake her up but he thought better of it. `She needs all the sleep she can get right now, I'll just wait till she wakes to activate it, it shouldn't be too long I hope.`   
  
  
  
  
TBC. . . 


	7. Homeward Bound....

Only a Moment. . .   
Chapter 7  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
Homeward Bound....  
  
Once again he pulled the sleeping bag around them. More light filtered into their little hole. The rain had stopped coming down and a few birds had started to sing outside in the trees. Wufei was not tired and soon found himself a bit bored. He gazed around for something to do. After counting the holes in the plastic bag door twice, and on his third time counting the individual tree roots hanging next to his head, he found himself needing to answer the call of nature. But Sally was still using him as her personal pillow. He would have to wake her up to move. Wufei brushed some of her hair out of the way, and gazed at her beautiful face.` I should tell her one of these days to smile more often. It makes her look so beautiful`.  
  
"Sally. . . Wake up, you have to move." Holding her shoulders he shook he lightly. She blinked a few times before comprehending what was going on. Yawning she covered her mouth.   
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Glad to see you sleep well. I have to go, so turn around so I can get dressed alright, and see if you can get that thing working, I want to get out of this forest." He said all the while gathering his things from around him. Most of it was dry, but a few things were still damp. He put them on anyway.   
  
Sally picked up the communicator, "Function, on... Batteries charged, and operational. Its working, now all we have to do is wait." She looked around, but Wufei had already left. " Well at least he's acting normal again." she quickly got dressed.  
  
Outside the sun peaked out from around the clouds, and the breeze was warm. Much different from earlier. Sally went to look for Wufei and found him sitting on the trunks of a trees that had fallen down in the night . He seamed to be unaware of her presence as he watched the sky above. She hopped up onto the log beside him and sat.   
  
"I activated the beacon.."  
  
"Hn."  
  
They sat there longer just watching the sky. The wind pulled the rest of Sally's hair free from her twists. It whipped around her head wildly for a moment causing her to close her eyes and look down. She fumbled in her pocket for an elastic or string but came up empty handed, so she decided to braid it. However without the help of a hair brush it proved more difficult then first imagined. Disappointedly she gave up and let her messy hair hang there.   
  
Clouds moved lazily across the sky chased soon after by the sun. Minutes slowly melted into hours as the day wore on. One minute seamed like the last as neither of them spoke a word. What would they say?  
  
The beacon, beeped and blinked in a rhythmical pattern of SOS just out of ear shot back at the tree. Wufei watched Sally lay there in front of him on the grass. Her eyes had been closed but he could tell she was not asleep.   
  
The warm breeze washed over her body and soul. There was truly nothing besides them within a hundred miles. There wasn't even a jet streak across the sky to be seen. The tranquillity of the area was unbelievable. It was so serene and untouched, as if they were the first to ever set foot on this part of the earth. But after a time the silence becomes very loud, and Sally sought to break it.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Wufei turned and looked at her. "Women you have nothing to apologize. If anything I should be apologizing to you."  
  
"Wufei, I still don't understand. What did you think you did?" asked Sally.  
  
"I could, I should have been with you all this time.. I should have been helping you."  
  
"Wufei, I can take care of myself. I don't need you to protect me, I can fight my own battles."  
  
"But you shouldn't have to fight this alone."  
  
"You can't protect me here."   
  
More silence. She was right, he could do nothing to help her. As much as he hated to say it, he was powerless.   
  
"Thank you anyway."  
  
Wufei smiled slightly. Sally turned her face to him revealing a smile as well. The sun was now staring to set on the western tree tops. They had waited all day for transport to arrive but nothing came. Sally began to wonder if the beacon she made even worked! It seemed as if it should work fine, but maybe the battery was not big enough, or she had set it the wrong frequence or if it just didn't work? They had already wasted a whole day waiting for rescue to arrive, and now it appeared as if none was going to come. They would have to hike back up stream and try to find the plant again, and find their way from there. They were almost out of food, and water.  
  
Humming came from the sky. They looked up to see a black Preventor chopper descending from above. Wufei rushed back to the tree and gathered the rest of their supplies while Sally guided the chopper to an open area where it made a soft landing. A figure leaped out of the open door and ran over to Sally.  
  
"So doll, where's the fire?" Asked Duo as he removed the black helmet. His dark braid cascaded down his back. His eyes twinkling with excitement, and youthful as he looked around. He still had that young strong look about him that he had so long ago. Age was not his enemy, but his ally. It had done wonders for his body, and looks. His voice a little deeper, and a bit taller. All the years working for the Preventors and graced him with a strong well toned body. He was on the skinny side, but it was all muscle.   
  
"He's back getting the rest of our stuff, what took you so long?"Sally shouted above the roar of the chopper blades. Dust flew up in every direction, as small branches close by snapped.   
  
"Hey baby, once I knew it was you who called I came runnin'! I wouldn't leave you out in the middle of nowhere with Wufei. Man I thought he would have skinned and eaten you by now, how did you survive?" His voice twisted with laughter. Making fun of Wufei's short temper was always easy for Duo, and was always a good laugh.  
  
"Ha, I'm just lucky I guess." Smiling she turned to see Wufei emerging from the woods with both their backpacks. Sally reached for hers as he approached but found it being placed in the arms of Duo.   
  
"Here let me get that for ya Sally. I bet its been a long week for ya." Duo said taking the bag from Wufei. "Is that all of it?" The wind from the chopper almost taking his voice away as they approached it. He tossed the bags in the back of the helicopter and hoped in.   
  
"Ya that is all of it!" Wufei responded after he placed the headphones on his ringing ears, and handed the second pair to Sally. Duo sat in the front next to the piolt, and Wufei and Sally in the back. The doors slid shut as they were lifted into the now twilight sky. The forest below stood like a army of soldiers ready to attack an enemy. The horizon was black as far as they could see. If something worse had happened, it was likely they would never have been found.  
  
"Oh, ya. Une wanted me to ask if there was anything happening at the plant." Duo came in over the speakers in the headphones. The ground below them moved far below now as the first few artificial lights started to appear.   
  
"No, it was cold. Didn't look like there had been anything there for years.." Wufei and Duo continued this conversation, but Sally did not listen to it. She gazed mindlessly out the window. It was such a nice night. No clouds to be seen, and the night sky seamed to twinkle with thousands of stars. The chopper flew gracefully through this sea of stars of the night until they arrived at the landing strip in a small town.   
  
"What are we doing here?" Sally asked coming out of her trace like state. The engine turned off and the propellers slowly spun to a stop.   
  
"We need to refuel, or we won't be able to make it back to HQ." Duo informed her unbuckling and opening the door.   
  
"How long is this going to take?" Wufei asked unsnapping his seatbelt and getting up and out the back door of the aircraft. Wufei too had look around himself.  
  
It was a very small airport they had landed at. Half a dozen shadowed buildings stood around them lit up but runway lights on the landing strip. A vehicle appears out of the dark night from one of the buildings Wufei assumed to be the hanger. The dark green jeep had only the left light working on it, and Wufei took note that the engine had a rattling sound to it as it came within ear shot. It pulled up in front of the two who had emerged from the helicopter. A tall thin man with a crop cut stepped out of the drivers side and approached them quickly.   
  
"Hey." he said as he came up to the nearest person which happened to be Duo. "What can I do ya for?"  
  
"Well we would be more then happy if you could lend us some gas. Were kinda low at the moment." Duo said.   
  
"Where you people from anyway? If I may ask." The stranger inquired moving his attention to the jet black chopper. The cannons on the front gleamed from the head light of the truck. His eyes snaked over the gleaming windshield and down to the razor tips of the deadly blades. The back half of it seemed to fade into the darkness around.   
  
"Preventor. That's all you need to know." Wufei answered coldly. He did not feel the need to give this person who they have just met too much information. He could be the enemy. Even though the war was over. Wufei still thought much the same as he did when he was fighting.  
  
The stranger glanced at Wufei. "Oh. Well why didn't you say so? I'll have this beast fueled up in no time! Come on I'll take you to the office, and get everything sorted out, and get you all a place to stay for the night."  
  
Sally stepped down from the copper and approached them as they were talking. `Rest would be good about now. But I haven't done anything all day, why am I so tired? Must be the new pills, doctor said I might be drowsy for a while. When was the last time I took them? When I woke up and started working on the communicator before Wufei woke up. Or somewhere in there, specific time doesn't matter too much, its been at least 12 hours. I'll take another one when I get to a place to lay down.`  
  
They all got into the Jeep except for the piolt, who wanted to stay behind to see his air craft was well taken care of. The jeep drove across the flat land to a large building at the edge of the field. They got out and entered through the two large glass swinging doors. The floor was sculptured marble in an assortment of colors, in sky design. Clouds seamed to float across the room to a desk in the middle of the lobby.   
Wufei approached it and rung the bell. A moment later a women appeared from a side door to the lobby.   
  
  
"Are you the people who were on the air craft that had to make a landing here?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, we're preventor, and we need a place to stay for the night till our craft refuels." Wufei answered figuring if he stated who they were they might be able to got a room faster.   
  
"Oh alright then, I'll give the Grand Hotel in town a call and see if they have any room for you. How many are in you party together? Just 3?" she asked picking up the phone and beginning to dial.   
  
"No theirs 4, the other one is still with the plane, but he will be coming shortly."Duo answered in a sweet voice. "On the other hand we could leave him and take you instead. How does that sound baby?"  
  
Ignoring the comments she dialed up the hotel. "Hi I'd like to get a room for the night........ Oh alright then good night." she hung up the receiver and reached under the desk.   
  
"What is the problem?" Wufei asked getting annoyed already.  
  
"They were full, so I'm trying another place. This time of year there are lots of tourists around so the town gets filled up fast... let me try this place.." This went on for about 6 more places before they found one with room. The pilot of the chopper who's name was Alex, joined them at about the 4th try to find a room.  
  
"How many rooms is there?..2, well..."The women on the phone asked.  
  
"We'll take them both." Wufei cut in. He was now angry and very cranky. `All I want is a bed, is that so much to ask?`  
  
The women reserved the rooms and called a cab to come pick them up and take them there. A few minutes later it arrived at the front main door. All four of them piled into the cab and headed out into the night.  
  
The place where they had reserved the two rooms was a small motel on the side of a hill overlooking a glass lake. The water so calm and smooth it looked as though you could walk right out onto it. Half moon hung above the tree tops on the other side of the pool, lighting up the road ahead of them. Fire flies danced in the tall grass along the lake's edge, also reflecting in the mirror like liquid. The road ran alongside this lake for about half a mile or so before reaching the motel.   
  
It was no problem finding the rooms they had asked for, because they were the only ones left. One room had a single and a double bed, while the other had a double and a couch.   
  
"I've got the big bed!" called Duo before they were even out of the main office.   
  
"I want the other one, I'm not sleeping in the same bed with anyone else." Alex said before Wufei or Sally could get a word in edgewise. They grabbed their stuff and entered the room numbered seven. Everyone else in the motel appeared to be asleep, after all it was about one a. m. Bugs buzzed around the lights above each of the room doors, and crickets sung there high-pitched melody in the ditch near the road. A car drove by, its head lights reflecting off of the windows in the storm doors to the two rooms. Other then that everything was quiet, for the most part anyway.  
  
Duo and Alex entered their room and began to settle in, while Wufei wrestled with the door to his room. "Damn thing's stuck.." he grumbled. He put down his bag and attacked the knob with both hands. Sally stood back shaking her head sadly.  
  
"Oh, Wufei.."Duo began sticking his head out the door once he noticed his comrade still out in the cold night air, and seeing a good opportunity to piss him off for fun.  
  
Duo was answered by a death glare. He reconsidered trying anything at that particular moment without having a gun on hand for protection. Without taking his eyes off Wufei he checked the door knob to see if it was locked. "Oh ahh.. Never mind, good night."   
  
Duo shut the door. "Man I wonder what's up with him? He's more touchy then usual. Got any ideas?"  
  
"Maybe he's lonely? Everybody needs somebody sometimes!.. " Alex sang the last part. Laughed and got into bed. "Or maybe he's tired of being stuck with Sally for over a week? Who knows? All I know is that I'm tired and I'm not going to dwell on it anymore tonight. Good night."  
  
"Ya, Good night."` Maybe he's got a thing for her?` Duo shut off the lights,"Na.".  
  
"What?"   
  
"Nothing."  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Finally the door swung open. The rooms were large and clean for the price they had payed for the night. They smelled clean too. Wufei entered the room and began to get ready for a shower. It was late but it did not matter to him. Gathering up his stuff, and a razor he borrowed from Duo earlier he began to enter the bathroom when he noticed Sally sitting on the end of the bed quietly. She was just sitting there doing nothing. Her eyes not focusing on anything, just staring out into space.  
  
"Women. Do you want to go first?" he asked door half open.   
  
She snapped out of her dreamy trance. "Oh, ah no. That's alright you go first. I want to have a bath."   
  
Wufei entered the small bathroom and closed the door. Relaxing against it he let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding. His mind was spinning once again, how come he was feeling like this? It was only today that he realized his true feelings for this women, but that was in the moment. When she had told him of her fate, and he was faced with the realization of losing the best partner he had ever had. Did he really love her, or was it just a thought that came to him at that moment? Glancing around the light blue bathroom he removed his clothes and turned on the water. The ice cold liquid shot out the shower head and onto his head and back. He jumped back out of the way.  
  
"Damn thing.." he cursed. Waiting for a moment he stepped into the shower again pleased to find it more then freezing. The luke warm water washes over his face and through his black hair. It snakes its way over his bronze skin to every part of his body surrounding him, enveloping him. It runs down his abs and lower stomach to places in conflict with his mind. The urge of his body and soul saying one thing, while his mind says that they are both wrong. These feelings should be overlooked, and forgotten at once! It shall only cause more pain in the future. The liquid glistens as it effortlessly ran down his solid back and his muscular bare legs before onto the bottom of the tube and down the dark drain hole ending its journey over perfection. He opens his eyes and squints into the shower spray, "Women.." The word escaped his lips before he realizes it. It is only a whisper quickly washed away by the water, then silence once more. Just the sound of water.  
  
In the next room Sally sat there at the foot of the bed. There were no lights other then the one coming from under the bathroom door. Moon light overflowed through the window onto her. She looked out the window into the tranquil night.  
  
"Mother.. Is this what happened to you?" She asked the moonlight.  
  
Flash Back  
4 Years earlier  
  
"I'm sorry to inform you Miss. Po but your test did not show good results." The man in the white doctor robe said as he placed the chart on the table across from her.  
  
"What do you mean? What is the problem?" Sally's heart skipped a beat. She knew there was something wrong with her, but she didn't think it would be something serious. For a moment she was griped with fear. Maybe it was something that could be cured?  
  
"The results from your test show that you have blood cancer."  
  
"Is that one of the new kinds?" Her metical training on the battle field, and her know-how to take care of flesh wounds and a little of therapy, for those solders who were at wits end, is the reason she became a Perventer. Sally had the ability to strap or mend almost any wound someone could acquire in battle. However on subject like health, and diseases she would have to look up or see someone else about.   
  
"Yes it is. This Blood cancer is a rather new form. It effects the blood stream, and then slowly starts to shut down the rest of the body. If it were one of the older types we could treat you with HP kemo therapy and there would be no problem. But the new forms of this cancer have no cure yet only suppressants. They only work for a limited amount of time, 3 to 5 years at most. For now this is all I can offer you Miss Po, I'm sorry." The medical personal informed her as softly as he could. It is not easy to tell someone they are about to die a slow painful death.  
  
Sally's mind refused to comprehend the new information she was given. There was no way that this could be something so serious. Life was just starting to go good for her. Good job, friends, new partner, well almost perfect. She still had to teach him how to say her name. "What part of my body is going to be effected first?"   
  
"According to your test results it has already shut down your reproductive system. In females who have this it usually starts there. Then it might go to lungs, or muscle reaction, or any possible number of things....." He continued talking but she did not hear.  
  
End Flash back  
  
Sally reached down into her backpack and pulled out a half empty container of water, and a small white pill bottle. She scanned her eyes over the writing on its side. She couldn't make out the words on it, but that didn't matter, she had already memorized them.   
  
Prescription use only  
Do not take with food, or other drugs unless prescribed by your doctor!!  
May cause sever drowsiness.  
Do not take while operating machinery, or driving long distances.......  
  
And a list of other things not to do, or take. Snapping open the lid, she shakes one of the smooth white tablets into her hand, pops it in her mouth and swallows it with the rest of the water. Placing the pill bottle back into her bag, and the empty container on the bedside table. Sally grabs the T.V. remote starts to surf looking for something besides the Saturday night romance. Within minutes the screen starts to blur, and remote slips from her fingers.  
  
TBC.... 


	8. emergence

"Only a Moment..."  
Chapter 8  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
"Emergence"  
  
  
He slowly swung the door open to reveal Sally stretched out in front of him on the bed sound asleep. Her still messy air spread out over the pillow and the glow from the TV screen upon her, she didn't look real, more like some kind of unearthly being bathed in light. A smile played with the corner of his lips as he observed her.   
  
"Sally." he said in a low voice. But she didn't move.  
  
"Woman.." this time a little louder. But still nothing. He reached out a hand and touched her shoulder gently. He would had assumed her dead if it wasn't for the shallow breathing causing the light movement of her chest up and down.  
  
Wufei moved to the other side of the bed and folded down the covers. Gently he lifted Sally and placed her on the newly exposed sheets. Removing her jacket, and shoes he tucked her in safely. Snatching the other pillow, and a extra blanket he settled himself on the small couch for the rest of the night.  
  
  
Date AC 300 November 25.   
  
  
Wufei entered the main door to the perventor head quoters as he brushed off the light dusting of snow he had received on his way from his car. The soft white flakes melted on his hand before running to the fingers and then dripping to the floor. The halls were bare and silent except for the echo of foot steps somewhere out of sight, and mumbling from Wufei.  
  
"Dam cold weather. It's injustice for it to be this cold at this time of the year! First snow fall and now I won't be able to find my car till spring! Argh!" Stomping off his boots as he entered the empty elevator he punched the third floor button and waited. The steel doors slid shut and the elevator numbers started to flash. The doors opened to another empty hallway lined with doors. He removed his winter jacket as he exited. The second to last was the door he was searching for and found it like he had for the past four years. He entered and found Sally typing away at her computer. Wufei wondered if it was office work, or something else.  
  
It had been about a month sense the mission that she had told him of her sort future, and he had spent every day after that thinking about it. He was amazed at how calm his female partner was over the situation at hand. Wufei sometimes wondered if the medication she was on was having a greater effect on her then he thought. He had been informed by Lady Une that her prescription had been changed and that as the nearest person around her; he should keep an eye out for any unusual behavior she might half. So far he had witnessed nothing out of the ordinary from her but decided to watch her progress from then on. However the problem being he could not exactly follow her home each night and watcher her until she fell asleep. He could only watch her during work hours.  
  
Shaking his head in an attempt to get his mind clear he threw his jacket onto the hook, grabbed his coffee cup and went back out the door. Two doors down he found the Staff office. A pot of black coffee sat bubbling on the counter top. Pouring himself a cup of the black liquid he returned to the office. Sitting himself down in the hard wooden chair Wufei turned his attention to his work till he heard a tinging sound for the other side of the office. Sally sat there tapping on her cup with a spoon. A small smile on her lips.  
  
"I believe that it is your turn today, an I right?" She raised the cup and an eye brow at him.  
  
He glared at her blindly.` A dam, she's right.` Razing himself out of the chair with a grunt of protest he slowly made his way over to her desk. "Woman, you should have told me before I left the first time!"  
  
"Man, you should have asked me before you left." Sally responded mockingly.  
  
He took the cup from her hand, and went back to the staff office.   
  
"Two sugar, no milk, Ok?" Sally called out the door after him. He grunted in response.  
  
She smiled and turned back to her computer screen where her smile faded instantly. The momentary joy there was from seeing Wufei shattered as her eyes scanned over the title of the page. Reality crashed back to her, and Sally was once again sucked into the dark void she had become so good at hiding.  
  
`How to Cope with Depression`.  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
"Come on faster!!" Sally shouted. Drill day with new requites and it was Sally's group turn in the Gym. 50 suicide laps across the gum, and them two sets of 20 pushups with a thirty second break before each. It was about two in the afternoon but to Sally it felt much later. Her arms felt heavy, and her strength was fading fast. The cadets rushed back and forth in front of her. Leaning up agents the cold cement wall Sally tried to rest a bit.  
  
Her depression had grown to the point where she just wanted to lie down and cry. With the new medication all the movement around her sometimes felt like a panic attack was happening. Everything moving, reaching out at her. Surrounding and entrapping with the intent of doing harm. She had to find escape somewhere, had to get away from the movement, and the noise. To much happening at once caused her to lose touch with reality for moments or so. She could see and hear everything around her but it was like watching tv. It looked real, but it didn't seam real. Like one big slow motion movie. But these would pass soon and she would be able to continue with what she had been doing.   
  
A cadet approached her from the side. "Sir, done sir." he said. Sally just looked at him. The young man was surrounded in a light mist. Sally pushed herself off the wall to a standing position He faded a little more. She could feel her legs getting weak her knees began to shake, and her hands began to tremble. He faded out again.  
  
"Sir are you alright?" he asked. She could hear the concern in his voice. Her mind told her not to get him worried or it will attract attention. The last thing she wanted now.   
  
Sally tried to respond. "Yes, I'm fine..." her requet rushed toward her as she fell. He caught her before she hit the ground.  
  
"Sir!!" the commotion attracted the attention of the rest who rushed over.   
  
Sally fought to stay aware Everything faded in and out of blackness. Their voices were clear, but their faces were not. She shook so bad it was hard to control. Fear washed over her. ` Is this it? What is happening to me? Oh god, stop shaking. Stop! Dam it not again...` She curled herself up to stop the now violent shaking.`Please stop, please...` One of the cadets put a jacket over her, another used his as a pillow.  
  
"Get the medic now!" one of them yelled. The two fastest took off out of sight into the hall.   
  
"Sir, sir. Can you hear me sir?" Another of them asked to her right.. Or was it left?   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Wufei picked up the news paper off the table and scanned over the headlines. "If it wasn't for bad news we'd get no news at all.."  
  
Taking a sip from his cold coffee mug he stepped out his office door. The hall way was quite and still, his foot steps thudded softly. He had taken no more then two steps when someone crashed into him sending the newspaper and cold coffee everywhere. The other person kept running, wile the one that hit Wufei helped him up.  
  
"Sir! So sorry sir, I ..." he started before Wufei's temper expired.   
  
"What are you doing you?! What is the meaning of this injustice! In all my years I have never seen such an unruly behavior from new requites! These actions will not do you any god except for getting promoted to potato peeler! Do you have any idea how immature running in the hall is? I thought that you were taught not to do that in preschool! How you got into this building acting like this I don't know, but when Lady Une hears about this you will regret you ever came here! I should punish you myself!.. "The former gundam polite was seething. His day had been bad enough already with Sally on his mind, and having to go get her coffee. He didn't want to be bothered with dealing with unruly minors.   
  
"Commander Po!" The now terrified young requite said in an attempt to explain.  
  
"What? What about her?" Wufei asked.   
  
"In the Gym, she had a spell of some kind. We were getting the medic."  
  
Flash back  
  
Lady Une sat behind her desk as Wufei inter the room.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" he asked.   
  
She motioned for him to take a seat. He did. "Yes I did Wufei. It is concerning your partner Sally. Are you aware of her present state of health?"  
  
"Yes she told me."  
  
"When may I ask?"  
  
"On our last mission. She told me she had cancer." He knew that she was only asking to make sure they were on the same wave length.  
  
"Very well. I have ordered her doctor to inform me every time she is put on a new prescription, incase she does not. I received a call this morning informing me he is going to change her medison at her next appointment, which is tomorrow."  
  
"So what does this have to do with me?" Wufei asked.   
  
"The medication she is going to be on is very strong, and he is unsure what kind of side effects she might experience, and sense you work closely with her. I want you to watch for any side effects she might have..."  
  
  
End Flash Back   
  
  
Wufei feels his heart jump. "Oh, god, Sally! Get the medic NOW!" He races off down the hall towards the gym. ` Knew it! I knew this was going to happen! Oh god, I hope she is alright, naticku please let her be alright..` Doors flew by in slow motion, his shoes slipped on the floor as he turned the corner and almost lost his balance. The gym doors came in sight, they were propped open.  
  
He entered the room. Everyone was at the back surrounding something, or someone. Wufei pushed his way through the mass of people to the center where he found Sally.   
  
She lay on her back gasping for air. Sweat glistened on her forehead. Her head rested on the lap of another requite who was talking to her trying to keep her conches .Wufei knelt down beside her.   
  
"Sally.."   
  
Her eyes flickered open to see him and smiled, "I'm fine really.." she whispered. Which was all she could do. Reaching out a hand Wufei brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. People moved around them but everything blurred into a slow dream-like state. Nothing seamed real.  
  
She coughed, and something shimmered on her lips. Wufei moved his hand and ran his middle finger over her soft bottom lip. Sally's eyes open at the touch, and was astonished to find it being his finger. She coughed again into his hand. He slowly pulled his hand away from her face not daring to see what was in his palm. `Please no..` Turning over his hand he saw what he feared; his hand was lightly covered in blood.  
  
Sally tried to say something, but he silenced her. "Quite, don't talk. This is going to be alright."Her eyes burned deep into his. He could tell she knew something was wrong.   
  
Closing her eyes again she pushed him to the back on her mind and tried to focus the task of breathing, that had suddenly become quite hard. `In, out. In, out. In, out. Come on, why can't I get any air? My chest hurts so bad.. Is it the medication?? I don't know, everything is so hard to concentrate on. Air, I have to get more air..`  
  
Sally felt herself being picked up by someone. Voices drifted around like ghosts; faces morphed and bulged out. Flashing lights and she was hit with cold air. Water dropped on her cheek. ` Am I outside? They must be putting me in the ambulance now. Yes the lights, and the cold. That is where I am. But the water? Where did that come from? I wonder if it was snow, it was snowing earlier I think. Yes, the first snow fall of the year today. It was so beautiful this morning when I got up. . .`  
  
The ambulance flew off down the street. It bumped and cut corners sharp on its way to the hospital. She could feel as they put the IV into her arm, and a oxygen mask on. Voices cleared up a bit, but the hard breathing did not. Then she became aware of someone holding her hand. The grip was strong, but not hurting. Did it just tremble? `I wonder who that is? Must be one of the requites coming along to see how I am. Maybe it's Wufei? Na couldn't be. He wouldn't tremble like that, and his grip would probably break my hand`  
  
The ambulance jerked to a stop. Sally was hit by another blast of cold air as she was taken into the hospital.   
  
"Get doctor Froide! Code Blue! Surgeons get the operating room ready for emergency surgery on this pasent! Her lungs a filling up! .." `My lungs are filling up! I'm drowning! That's what is happening to me. Doctor said my lungs will go, didn't think it would be quite like this. So this is it, isn't it? So this is how I'm going to die.`  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Wufei sat in the waiting room looking off into oblivion. The ceiling lights hummed softly the only sound in the room. He was alone there. Noone else had come in sense he got arrived in the ambulance with Sally. They had taken her into the emergency section of the hospital and sent him to the waiting room. He had followed there instructions without a second thought. The sight of his partner in such a state had shook him to his core.  
  
Like a container had cracked inside of him and whatever it held erupted. Never had he felt so strongly to protec someone then he had then, and did now. He glanced at his watch for the third time that hour. `Four hours. . . She has been in there for four hours. . I've been sitting here doing nothing for four dam hours, and I don't feel like doing anything either, well I would like to see how that onna is doing. Sally, are you dead yet? Will you live, for how much longer? A month or two maybe?.. I hate to see you suffer. I watched too many suffer during the war, I don't want to see it anymore. Women you have no idea how this feels...`  
  
"Excuse me.." came a soft voice from the door. Wufei razed his head and saw it was a nurse from the surgery ward.  
  
Wufei felt a lump in his throat grow, cutting off his breath. He got up and moved towards her, "She's dead isn't she?" he stared rather then asked. He could feel his heart breaking as he walked by her and down that hall. She had slipped through his fingers for good this time. He had let her die without telling her what she meant to him.. What she did to him.. Now another lifetime regret waded in his shoulder.  
  
"No, she is alive. If you want you can go see her."Came the reply. Wufei froze in stride.`She's alive?` He turned and followed the nurse to her.   
  
She led him down a few long hall ways which were ghostly silent. Stealing glances in the open doors as he walked bye, he saw the people in their beds watching him. Their eyes sometimes peaking over the edge of the sheet covers before disappearing again. Others held his gaze with anger and fear until it was broken by the passing door frame. Foot steps down the hall stopped as they drew closer and then resumed after they had passed. All this gave Wufei an uneasy feeling.   
  
"Where are we going?" he asked bending down to her ear afraid to speak any louder fearing that of the silence of the hall was broken it would mean tragedy. The nurse smiled and tilted her head to his ear.  
  
"This hospital is under some reconstruction on the north wing. There expanding to add another 200 beds, and a better medical center there. It should be done in about two more weeks. Most of these people are mental patents from there. This was the only place we could put them." They continued down the hall to the end. She pointed to the door and gestured for him to go in.  
  
He entered a soft green room with blue curtains. At the back of the room there she lay on the bed asleep. IV, heart monitors, and a variety of other devices were attached. She was the only person in the room. The nurse left after he had taken a seat on the chair across from the bed. The light was now gone from the sky, so the only light in the room came from the equipment and the door. The room was illuminated in a unearthly light that washed over her. Soft white sheets wrapped around her body like silk, before hanging off the edge of the bed like broken wings.   
  
Wufei sat in the shadows watching her sleep. The lump in his throat choking him threatening to make him cough. There lay the person he cared most about in the whole world dying in front of his face. She was only reason he stayed here, if it wasn't for her he would probably be out roaming the street or something like that now that the war was over.  
  
The clock on the wall clicked to six pm. Then seven, another hour went by with no change in the room. People walked by outside the door unaware of the visitor that had stayed way past visiting hours. Finally he couldn't take the uncomfortably seat any longer and stud up to stretch. His body aked from sitting so long. His back snapped and cracked as he reached with his fingers for something just out of reach. He stepped over to the side of Sally's bed and gazed down at her. She lay there so peacefully it seamed unreal.  
  
He reached out a hand and touched her face. His fingers traced her forehead, over her temples and down the side of her cheek to her chin where he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. So soft, so close. Before he realized what he was doing, his face was mear inches from her's. Once again the sent from her hair filled his senses taming his logical mind. Thoughts raced through his head, `I want to do this. I want to kiss her just once, if I do it now she won't know and it won't hurt her. All I need is one kiss, just to feel her lips once would make my life worth living.`  
  
  
His lips barely brushed against her's. Like a feather dancing with the wind on the surface of a pond. Spinning freely in the in-brace before being sweep up into the night sky and taken to the stares to live out the moment for eternity. The world for a moment spun around them. A man confessing his feelings to the one of his hearts choosing. Unknown to him, he has made a promises of protection, conformity and relinquish. Vowing his heart and soul to this one person for as long as his body can draw breath form the air. What she did to him, astonished him to no end. The way she looked at him, the way she laughed at him. He hair , her moves, her voice, he touch, her very existence aroused his every piratical of his being. A fallen angle, sent to him from god above to save his soul. She couldn't have been more heavenly in his eyes.   
  
The kiss was hardly a touch scarcely even felt, but enough to satisfy him for now. He did not want to run the risk of waking her from her sleep. He loved the way she looked resting peacefully. He breathed in her breath, sweet sent intoxicating, enchanting. No matter where she was Sally always smelled sweet to him. `Clean. . . She smells so clean and fresh.`  
  
Lifting his head from her, his eyes moved over the back wall. A shadow caught his attention. Its form like a statue, silent, and unmoving. He suddenly realized he was not alone in the room, and froze. Did that person see what he did? Turning around to the door he saw the owner of the shadow. The person was surrounded in a hallow of light from the hall, Wufei could only make out the silhouette. A female, but who? Lady Une, no hair is too short. Relena, no too tall. Maybe one of the mental patents? Finally his eyes came into fo course on the face. One of the last people he would have imagined formed from the shadowy head.   
  
Noin.  
  
TBC... 


	9. Vision of the future

Chapter 9   
'Vision of the future'  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
  
Noin walked into the room. She was wearing a long gray trench coat that almost reached the floor. The bottom of it swayed back and forth like a dress as she approached him with short heavy footsteps.   
  
"Wufei, it''s been a long time. How have you been?" Noin asked smiling at Wufei who was now eye level with her.   
  
`OH NO! Did she see what I just did?!? She had better not tell Sally. ` He stepped away from the bedside unsure of his next move. "Noin, when did you get back?"   
  
Noin looked down at Sally asleep in the bed. "About an hour ago. Une told me about Sally''s condition a few days ago. I''ve decided to stay and keep her company, she''s my best friend and I haven''t exactly talked to her much in the past few years. And we''ve decided it would be best to comeback to earth until the baby is born. Zech thinks it will be easer for me here. Have you been here all day?"   
  
Wufei took a moment to take a good long look at her. Her face had not changed at all. Here hair still hung in front of her face just like Trowa''s does, and the rest seemed to be the same. Well except for the huge stomach. `Yes, she is definitely pregnant. Wonder if Relena knows she is going to be an aunt soon? `   
  
"Yes. How far along are you?" he asked.   
  
Noin hugged her belly. She blushed remembering something; "Eight and a third months tomorrow." came her reply.   
  
"Do you know if it is a boy or girl yet?" Wufei asked astonished at how interested he actually was. `Maybe she didn't see me when I almost kissed Sally? She's not acting as if she knows anything. I''ll just keep the subject on the baby. `   
  
"No, not yet. Were going to wait and see." Footsteps sounded at the door and they both turned around. Another silhouette appeared in the doorframe.   
  
"Their you are." said Zech entering the room. The tall platinum blond made a beeline straight for Noin " You''re a hard one to keep track of. Hello Wufei." He came up behind his wife and hugged her. Noin leaned back into the embrace with a sigh. Tilting her head back she received a kiss from her loving husband. They smiled at each other and Wufei began to feel uncomfortable.   
  
A nurse came into the room again as she passed by. Seeing the visitors she went and got a glass jug of water and ice from the machine down the hall and placed it on the swinging table next to the wall with some glasses. Noin took a glass of the cold water and thanked her. The nurse smiled and left.   
  
He turned his attention back to Sally. She still had not moved. His eyes wondered over the sheets, tubs, and wire up to her lips. He wanted to kiss them, not just a satisfying brush as she slept. He wanted to ravage those lips and have her return that passion back.   
  
"Wufei.." His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his name. He turned back to Noin and Zechs.   
  
"Are you going to stay here much longer?" Noin asked.   
  
Wufei thought about it for a minute. `I do not have anything to do at home... I'' am not going back to the office tonight, it is already closed... if she woke she might need some help or something. ` He looked at the clock on the wall, it struck half past ten in the almost silent room. `I might as well stay a little longer."   
  
"Yes, I am going to stay." he answered. The three talked for a while longer before the two lovers left.   
  
Once again Wufei was alone in the room with Sally. He pulled one of the chairs over to the side of the bed, sat down in silence and watched her sleep. Her soft breathing drifted into the night air of the empty hospital room. The second hand on the clock spun round once more before Wufei fell asleep.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Sally opened her eyes. The white tile ceiling stared back at her ` Where am I? ` Her whole body felt numb. She tried to move but it was no good, her body was not going to obey. `I''m alive. I didn''t think I was going to live through that. It did not seem real it happened so fast . . . I remember Wufei was there. Yes he was there in the gym before I was taken out. I wonder what he did after I left? I don''t think that was him in the ambulance. ` Sally turned her head to one side.   
  
A window with green curtains was on the far wall. The windowsill outside was concealed in white fluffy layer of snow. Behind that was the outline of the city buildings, the roof tops shimmering in the new morning light. They looked like snow dusted mountain tops at daybreak. Sally smiled to herself, ` It did snow yesterday. `   
  
Sighing she turned her head in the other direction. Her eyes widened in shock as her partner sat next to the bed asleep. His arms were folded across his chest as a few stray strains of black hair hung down, softly swaying as he breathed. `What is he doing here?` Her mind swirled with thoughts. `Maybe that *was* him holding my hand in the ambulance? No it couldn''t have been him! He can''t feel anything for me! If he does it will only end up hurting him, *I* will end up hurting him! No. We are nothing more then work partners. Hardly even friends! . . . . . . . . I love him so much. ` She turned away and faced the window. It no longer seemed beautiful outside the little window, but cold and empty. Just like her future.   
  
Small tears dance in her eyes. They blurred her view of the snowy window then dripped onto the pillow. A lump rose in her throat as she fought back the pain. `This is not happening, this is not happening to me. I will not cry over nothing. He has already seen me cry before and I refuse to go it again! Nothing is wrong with me, I may be sick but there is nothing wrong with me other then that! I do not love Wufei Chang; I refuse to love Wufei Chang! He is younger then me, he is only a boy! An immature, annoying kid who can''t say my name half the time! `   
`But... he is no longer a boy is he? ` Her heart said. It began to speak to her soul and she knew every word and emotion was true. `He is a grown man now, and you are in love with him no matter how much you say your not, you can''t fight me. I am your heart after all. `   
  
It was right. Her heart had said the truth about how she felt about him, it always did. But now what? She couldn''t just confess her undying love for him out loud could she? What if she was rejected? That would kill her, but what if he returned it? That would be worse, much worse. If he did love her and he had to watch her die, she would never be ably to forgive herself for causing all that pain.   
  
She choked on another sob. More tears filled her eyes, as she finally was able to turn her body away from him. She hugged herself and buried her face into the pillow trying to muffle her crying.   
  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
*Wufei's Dream*   
  
Wufei stood in the middle of a clearing; the long grass brushing against his legs. He was surrounded in a thick fog that blocked his view after only a few feet. A faint scent blew by on the wind. He tilted his nose higher into the air to try and identify what it could be. He had smelt it before so familiar, and so close. What is it? He stepped forward in the long grass. It crunched under his feet as he walked. For a moment there was no other sound, then he heard it. Somewhere was a voice.   
  
Wufei stopped walking, "Who''s there?" he asked but there was no response. He began to walk and the voice came again. He stopped again but this time it continued. Wufei struggled to make out the words being said but they were too muffled. After standing there for some time they became louder; to the point where he could hear it was laughter. A woman''s voice was laughing. It was soft and sweet like a melody. It seemed to come from every direction encouraging him forward. His body began to move under another power. The grass drifted through his legs as if he wasn''t there. Another clearing appeared and he was sat down.   
  
There in front of him was a small patch of green grass with little flowers everywhere. They cheerfully danced in the laughing wind. He smiled. They were cute. `It''s nice here. Peaceful too. ` Down in front of him and saw a little yellow flower. Its leaves hung limp by its side as the face of the flower hung toward the ground. ` What is wrong with this one?   
  
` He sat down next to it. Slowly he reached out a hand and touched it. It fell over dead.   
  
Suddenly all the flowers in the clearing were screaming. Their wails almost deafening. Pain filled cries that began to hurt Wufei''s ears.   
  
"Stop that!" he yelled at them, but they only became louder. He reached down and picked up the tine dead flower in his hands and the cries ceased. He glanced around; they were all staring at him. They had faces? The flowers had the faces of all those people he had killed during the war and before. Hundreds of the stared back at him with hate filled eyes.   
  
"You" one of them said.   
  
"What?" he answered back. What did they want from him?   
  
"You, you''re the one."   
  
"You''re the reason were dead! Its all your fault!" they screamed at him. They joined their voices together in a roar of horrid words. Each voice screaming at him how he had taken its life. Each one belonging to a family whom they loved and never saw again after they met him.   
  
"You destroyed my mobile suit six years ago during that attacked on the colonies by Oz! You killed me while I was trying to defend my home! My family!"   
  
"I have two daughters with out a father now! My wife went hungry without me there to help her!"   
  
"I was taking Taurus''s out of Victoria Base when you shot down the aircraft! I never got a chance to tell my love what she meant to me!"   
  
"Its all your fault. It''s all your fault! It''s all your fault!" the flowers chanted over and over again.   
  
"It was war, I had to kill, I''m sorry.." he tried to justify his actions. No he couldn''t have caused that much pain! It was not possible to make that many suffer at his own hands!   
  
"NO! You are not sorry! If you were sorry why are you still killing? Why are you still hurting her? You are not sorry. Not one bit!"   
  
"Enough!" he shouted. He was not going to take shit from compost heap bin! He had paid for his crimes and was free from the pain; he would not let them win.   
  
"Wufei..." a soft voice called. He looked down at his hands. There was the little yellow flower its face still turned away from him. The other around fell silent. The tine flower lay still in his hands.   
  
"I forgive you, " it said in a voice hardly above a whisper. "I always will."   
  
That voice, it''s her! He rolled over the flower in his hands and saw Sally''s face. The weak stem became her slender body, and the droop left her arms. The yellow petals melted from her to soft brown hair and a golden sheet wrapped around her body. Wufei now held Sally in his arms.   
  
"Wufei I''m sorry. I never really understood what I did to make you mad at me. I always seemed to end up on your bad side. I didn''t mean it what ever I did. Please forgive me I only wanted to make you happy. I tried to make you happy. Really I did, I''m sorry... " Her choked words sounded in his ears. `What have I done to you?!? Sally I''m sorry. . `   
  
"No, don''t be sorry for anything. I''m the one who was wrong. I didn''t mean any of it! Please forgive me Sally I never meant to hurt you." Tears hung in the corners of his eyes as he spoke. Pain and regret ripped at his chest.   
  
She smiled up at him. That same beautiful smile he loved so much. He felt the pain in his chest ease a bit. Sally lay there in his arms smiling. She reached up a hand to his face and touched his lips. Wufei gasped. Her fingers were cold as ice.   
  
"Remember me.." she said. His eyes widened in horror as her fingertip was ripped away. It turned into a pail petal and fluttered off on the wind. The rest of her hand came after that, and her feet then up her legs melted into petals and blew away on the wind. Her cries of pain split the air.   
  
Wufei looked into Sally''s eyes and found them over flowing with pain. Tears fell onto her gold hair causing it to dissolve into sand. She was dying!   
  
"No! Sally please hold on! Sally please! I love you don't leave me! Please Sally! I love you! Sally!..." he pleaded with her to stay with him. No he couldn't lose her now! He just told her what she meant to him. He had a lifetime of things planed out for them together. Her face melted away into yellow petals, as her eyes said goodbye to him, then everything was silent.   
  
"Sally.." Wufei choked but she was gone. His arms now filled with yellow petals and gold fabric he continued to cry.   
  
"NO!" Wufei howled! How could this have happened?!? How could he have let this happen to her?! She had spent so long trying to please him, and he did not even say thank you! Clutching the fabric to his chest he collapsed.   
  
"She died for you. " the flowers said. "She died to make you happy." The earth beneath him cracked open and he fell into the void.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Sally brushed her eyes. `I may love him, and maybe he likes me but if anything happens it happens. And if it doesn't it doesn't that is all there is to it. I will not push for anything other then a stronger friendship with him. He knows my fate, and will understand. ` She smiled to herself. It felt good to figure that out. Well sort of anyway, close enough for right now.   
  
She turned over and faced him again. `It must be the drugs I''m on making my emotions go hay wire.` Wufei was still asleep in his chair. There was something wrong with him, his face seemed to be twisted, and his breath began to quicken. Using the side rails on her bed Sally pulled her self to a sitting position and leaned over closer to him.   
  
"Wufei..." She said quietly. Suddenly Wufei''s eyes flew open and he jumped forward. Sally was so surprised to have his suddenly in her face she let out a yelp.   
  
Wufei''s eyes flew open and found Sally right in his face. He stepped back and tripped over the chair he had been sleeping in. As he fell backwards his right arm flew out and hit the swing table next to the wall, with the glass picture of water on it. The table swung around and the motion caused it to move out from the wall. Wufei landed on his back and the back of his head smacked the tile floor. Cursing he rubbed the back of his head.   
  
Sally saw the picture tilt dangerously as the table moved. "Wufei watch out!"   
  
He opened his eyes and looked up just in time to see the thick glass bottom of the picture inches from his face, and then everything went black.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
"I still cannot believe that happened..." Said a female voice. Wufei''s head was splitting with pain. `tell me that last part was a dream.. Please tell me it was all just a dream...` "He really got hit with the water jug bad hun?"   
"I know. I thought I was a klutz at times, but I have to say whenever I get hurt I usually stay conscious. I am truly surprised that all he got was a concussion. That was one thick jug! You should have seen the look on the nurses face when she came in to see how I was and saw Wufei out cold on the floor! I never laughed so hard in my life!"   
  
Sally and Noin burst into fits of laughter. Wufei grumbled under his breath. `How dare they laugh at me! That could have happened to anyone! Now I will never hear the end of it..` He opened his eye lids just enough to see where he was. He was in the same room still, but another bed had been moved in for him. `How could this have happened? It was that stupid dream! It messed with my head, and when I saw Sally right in my face I freaked. How humiliating. `   
  
"Still I''m surprised he stayed here with you all night. Maybe he does have a thing for you?" Noin winked and Sally blushed.   
  
"Err...Lets talk about something else, he might be awake you know. He''s asleep not dead!" Sally warned softly. They continued talking, changing the conversation to Christmas parties and shopping.   
  
Wufei lay still on the next bed fully wake trying him not to turn beat red. He had to get out of here. This was to embarrassing! But when, how? Women can talk for hours! He could be there for the rest of the day waiting for a chance!   
  
"Lets get out of here Noin. I want to go for a walk or something. I''ve been in here all day," said Sally.   
  
"Are you sure your feeling up to it?" Noin looked at her seriously, "remember you had that operation yesterday. I''m not sure if your even suppose to be out of bed yet!."   
  
"I''m fine really, I was up a bit already anyway!" Sally said in a cheery voice.   
  
"Alright then lets go. Doc said I could use a little exercises. Zechs sweet heart, will you stay here and look after Wufei for a little while. We won''t be long." Noin asked standing up slowly up and waiting for Sally to get out of bed.   
  
"Sure," he answered. After a minute or two of ruffling around, the women left the room and drifted down the hall.   
  
Wufei sat straight up in bed. Now he could get out. He threw the blanket off of him and jumped out of bed onto the floor. The room shifted under his feet and he sat back down. His heart throbbed in his ears and blood rushed to his head.   
  
"Your not going anywhere." came Zech''s voice. "You got a concussion from that fall you took. Doc said you are going to be in here for a wile for observation, so just lay back down. I told Sally I wouldn''t let you leave."   
Wufei sat there for a moment before glaring at Zechs when his vision came back. But he was meet with another plain stare. He turned his attention to the clock on the wall and found it too read noon. Work started at seven, he was late!   
  
"Don''t worry about it." Zechs said reading his mind. "Une said that you are to stay here and take Commander Po home when she is well enough."   
  
"I will do no such thing! I have more important things to do besides wait here for that onna to want a ride home……" Wufei spat. Why should he have to be the one to take her home?! She seems to be fine enough; she''s walking around.   
  
"Such as keeping your job?" Zechs asked. A smirk played at the lip of the platinum blond father-to-be. He shifted his position in his chair. "You know as well as I do when Lady Une means business, and she was not smiling when she heard about Sally. She did not ask you, she ordered you. She did say however, that you could go and retrieve your car from HQ."   
  
Wufei settled back down on the bed. Zechs was right; when Une said something you obeyed no questions asked. He would have to come back and stay with Sally after he retrieved his car. The room fell silent for a wile as nether man spoke. The world outside the window moved by slowly in the deep snows fall. The dark clouds overhead dropped snow as if it were slat from a saltshaker. What was not white that morning was soon covered. Lights shone off the snow sending yellow and red reflections over everything. Shadows danced in the ally ways and corner store parking lots. The floor was mostly quiet except for the occasional nurse or doctor walking by to check on a patient.   
  
A nurse appeared in the doorframe. "Good to see your awake Mr. Chang. How do you feel?" She asked approaching him as she busily wrote on a clipboard.   
  
"Fine." He answered. She put down the clipboard and pulled a small flashlight from her coat pocket.   
  
"I'm just going to give you a little check up now, and then we will see if you are strong enough to go. I was quilt amazed when I found out that you broke the glass picture. Usually you can break those when you heave them at the floor there so thick, but that one just hit you head and split apart! I''m also surprised that all you got was a little cut! With all that glass you could have lost an eye quite easily..."   
  
Wufei put a hand to his forehead and there was a little band-aid above his left eye. The nurse took the light and looked at his eyes, mouth and ears. She picked up her clip board and wrote something.   
  
"Alright Mr. Chang, you seem to be fine now but I want you to take it easy for a day or two." She said as Noin and Sally came back. The nurse then turned her attention to Sally. "And Miss Po. You will be able to leave tomorrow after your checkup."   
"Thank you. Hello Wufei glad to see you're up," said Sally.   
  
Wufei mumbled some sort of "Hi" and "I''ll be back in a hour or two," walked past her and out the door. He made his way to the nearest elevator, then to the main floor, and to a payphone where he dialed for a cab. Wufei was going to have to go back to Preventor headquarters, and get his car; that is if he could find it in the white snowy banks. If he was going to have to stay here and take her home he would need his car.   
  
Standing in the entryway Wufei watched the snow fly by the glass doors. It was being thrown up by the wind from the parking lot, and drifting down as it fell off the roof. Flakes landed on the window and melted forming a river down the glass pane till it reached the bottom where it froze; waiting for the spring sun to thaw it out.   
  
TBC 


	10. Snow War

"Only a Moment..."  
Chapter 10  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
"Snow war"  
  
Wufei pulled the key out of the door and went in. His apartment was quiet as usual. He hung up his coat and turned the thermostat on half way. Reaching out into the darkness, he felt the side of the wall until his fingers ran over the cold plastic cover of the light   
switch. He snapped it on and the room filled with light. There his small simple apartment with only the basics to survival greeted him. A thirteen inch television set stood against the far wall; in front of it was a couch, two chairs and a coffee table. The kitchen   
consisted of appliances, a counter top and a full fridge of food. The bed room had bare walls and a wood floor with a green mat leading to the single bed in the middle of the room. Off to the side of the living room was a small door concealing a bathroom.  
  
Wufei put his paper work down on the kiction counter and opened the fridge door. He had skipped lunch trying to catch up with all his work and now was in need of a snack. Something soft and furry brushed against his legs. He looked down to find his cat Ottis gazing back at him hungrily. He sat back on his haunches and reached up his pant   
leg.  
  
"All right, all right. I'll get you some food. Get down." Wufei gently unhooked Ottis's claws from his thigh and picked up the cat food can. Scraping some into a dish he placed it on the drier and turned away. The cat just sat there on the floor watching him.  
  
"No." Wufei said not even turning his back. He would not let him win again!  
  
Wufei grabbed a half eaten honeydew melon from the well packed fridge and a spoon, and sank down in front of the television on the couch. Flicking it on the channels changed for a few minutes before stopping finally on the day news. The reporter was talking about one thing or another; Wufei really didn't care too much. Not even when she started talking about the former Queen of the world Relena Peacecraft.  
  
The juice liquid from the sweet melon ran to his chin before a hand brushed it off. He was so into his meal that Wufei almost did not hear the name of his ally former gundam pilot Heero Yuy. He raised his eyes to the screen in time to see both Heero and Relena holding hands in front of what appeared to be Relena's mansion home. He was even more shocked when he witnessed the unthinkable in his eyes. He watched in horror as the perfect solder leaned over to the women next to him and brush her cheek with his lips! The reporter's voice came into focus as she spoke the next few words that make him choke.  
  
".. The former Queen of the world has announced her engagement to he alleged secret lover Heero Yuy. Apparently the two have been seeing each other since A.C. 196 and are expected to tie the knot some time this summer..."  
  
Wufei sat down his meal and stared dumbfounded at the t.v. "My god... Heero. I would have expected you to be the last person to do something like this. Is there anyone else in the world that's not married besides me? I can't believe it... I'm the last one that is still alone."  
  
He went and put the rest of his melon back in the fridge and slumped against the closed door.` Duo, Quatre, Trowa, Zechs, and now Heero too. Everyone one of them has put the past behind them and has started a future with someone, but me.. Everyone seems to know what they want in life, so how come I'm not sure? It seems simple enough,   
find someone start a family. How hard could it be? It's not that I don't want to have a child or two of my own. I would love to have a little version of me I could train and teach him everything I know to become a great warrior. And to continue the clan name. Or even someone I could come home too each night and have waiting for me in bed to entertain me. Yes that definitely would be a nice thing to have, but I couldn't do that with just anyone. She would have to be someone who is strong. Yes she would deffently have to be strong enough to help me train. A few good curves would be a plus. She would have to be able to handle children, but she would also have to be someone who is kind... Sally is kind, and I do feel very strongly about her. I would like to marry her and have a family with her too, but she does not have much time left. But I do not believe she sees me in that light, and to start something now would be stupid! I mean it will be hard enough to say goodbye to her as it is, if I get any closer I don't know what I will do.`  
  
"Damn it Onna! Why are you always on my mind?"  
  
A loud meow turn him around. Ottis sat there on the floor waiting for him. Wufei stared at it for a moment, "fine you win.." He walked over and picked him up. He rubbed his head lovingly against Wufei's sticky chin. Wufei placed him on the top of the dryer and watched him eat for a moment.  
  
" One of these days cat I'm going to get a ladder for you so I don't have to lift you up every single time."  
  
He strayed back into the living room and sank to the floor. Flicking off the t.v. he enjoyed the quiet. Then his mind began to drift away from him into the dark thoughts he tried to ignore whispering in his head. What if Sally did love him and he had let her down for all these years? Maybe if he had asked her to marry him a long time ago she would not have become sick. Maybe it was really all his fault. Maybe the whole reasons Sally became sick is because of thestress he was to her. It was all his fault she was suffering so much! He was the reason for all her pain and suffering! He shouldn't even be alive! He should be the one suffering a slow death much worse then hers! Much worse! He didn't even have the right to be near her, let alone partners with her! He should be dead! He should die! Die! Die! Horribly and painfully to make up for what he had done to his own partner! Be tortured in a hideous way... Wufei's chest began to ache again more painfully than before. Holding himself, he lay down on the floor. He knew these thoughts were not good to have, he had to fight them somehow.  
  
"Maybe medicating will help?" he crossed his legs and took a deep breath. He toned out the fridge, dripping faucet, munching cat and everything else. The room soon vanished around him as he settled into the void of solitude which his years of training as a boy had taken him. A sense of peace washed over him, freeing his mind from problems and separating his body from soul. He floated ina deep ocean of calm unable to see the light of reality above him, or the dark pain of guilt in the inky depths below. Serene calm filled   
his every being of existence, entrancing him.  
  
There he stayed in the gentle calm for as long as he could. But eventually the long arms of guilt reached up into his sea of calm and clamped a dark hand on his foot and pulled him down.. `It's all my fault, it's all my fault. If it weren't for me she would still be alive....` And the reality of his surroundings collapsed on top of him.  
  
Wufei opened his eyes and found the room the same as he left it; cold and empty. The clock read midnight, it was time to go to bed, `no point in driving yourself crazy over something out of reach.` He went to get up and found that Ottis had curled up on his lap and had gone to sleep. He gazed at the sleeping creature for a minute thinking.  
  
`Such a simple creature you are.. Just eat and sleep that is all you seem to do these days. Not a care in the world on your mind..`  
  
"And you never reply to anything I say. Yet somehow just by doing what you do you provide company for me when I feel alone." He picked up the sleeping fur-ball and took him into the bedroom placing him at the foot of the bed.  
  
"Thank you my friend."  
  
He got in bed and went to sleep.  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Early the next morning Wufei sipped down the rest of the hot caffeine liquid in his cup. Thursday morning at a snowed-in HQ. Wufei had to leave home early in order to be on time for work and in doing so skipped breakfast. In front of him sat a small mound of paperwork about the size of his quickly growing migraine. He looked over to the next desk where his partner worked quietly.  
  
As Sally finished typing up her report for Lady Une she took a quick glance at her schedule for the day. It showed that she was free till about five when she and Wufei had to take some of the recruits outside for a short run through of snow survival tactics.`Great! After being stuck inside this stuffy room for most of the day, I have to go play in the snow. Well at least it will be a change.`  
  
She saved the report to a disk and took it to Lady Une's first thing.  
  
Sally knocked on the door in front of her and waited for a signal to enter. From inside came a voice, "Come in."  
Sally entered the office and approached the desk where her commander sat in front of a computer screen."I have that report you wanted Lady Une. Would you like to see it now?" She handed it to Lady Une.  
  
"Thank you Sally. Tell me how have you been?" Lady Une asked before Sally had a chance to escape from the room.  
  
"Fine."If there is anything you would like Sally, please don't hesitate to ask. You've been here as long as anyone and...."Please Une." Sally cut her off. "I don't want anything! I don't need special treatment.... it only reminds me okay?"I'm sorry Sally. I just want to help you somehow."  
  
She could hear the concern in her friend's voice. "It's all right. It's not you, it's me. I'm just touchy today that's all." Then an idea developed in her mind which made a smile play on her lips. "Actually lady. There is something I would like.."  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
The bus pulled into the empty parking lot of the city Park. A white blanket lay draped over everything in sight; tree branches bent under its weight, and bushes became undefinable from ordinary snow drifts. The untouched snow on the ground was evidence that no-one had been there recently.  
  
"Why did Une demand we go here to have this class? Why couldn't we have just stayed at head quarters?..." Wufei's mumbled curses came through the frigid winter air to Sally's covered ears. She hid a smile behind her gloved hand.  
  
"I guess because Lady Une thought the exercise would be good for us?" Sally replied, but Wufei only stared back at her.  
  
"All right everyone! This is what's happening; we are dividing you up into two groups for this survival training. Half of you will go with Commander Chang. The rest will come with me. Understood?"Sir. Yes sir." They replied to commander Po's information with less then joyful cheers. Half the group went off with Wufei into the thick part of the park, tugging off through the deep snow while the rest stayed with Sally next to the bus. A few minutes went by with nothing happening. Sally stood there leaning against the side of the bus while Wufei and his group moved further out of sight. Finally one of the recruits couldn't stand there in the cold any longer.  
  
"Commander Po sir.. Umm. What are we going to do?" he asked. He shifted his weight to his other foot uneasily when he saw the look in her eyes. The gleam in them sent shivers up his already cold spine, making him wish he had stayed home. It was as if you could see her thinking up something.  
  
"So you want to do something do you?" she asked not really looking at any of them in particular. The cadets shuffled there for a moment before one of them responded.  
  
"I guess.."  
  
Sally walked over to a snow covered picnic table and scooped up a hand full of wet sticky snow. She began to move it around in her gloved hands and began to talk.  
  
"Does anyone know what I'm trying to do?" Sally asked.  
The cadets looked at each other and then back at Sally. A few even took a step back.  
  
"No, I haven't lost my mind yet. What does this look like to you?" she held up the snow now in a perfectly round shape for them too see.  
  
"A snow ball?" one guessed.  
  
"Correct! Now what does one do after making a snow ball?" Sally   
smiled evilly, "lets play a game."  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
"I can't wait till this is over." Wufei grumbled again marching up another hill. He hated hiking in cold weather, and winter snow was very cold weather to him. It crunched under his boots and almost came over the top of them as he walked on. It clung to the slim tree branched giving them a skeleton like appearance through out the park. Chickadees jumped and hopped from branch to branch chasing each other around the white postcard park as loose snow flakes floated around.  
  
A yelp came from the front of the group and everyone came to a halt. Grumbling he went to the top of the hill and looked down. There at the bottom was one of the cadets stuck waist deep in snow after apparently sliding down the other side of the hill. Someone stretched out a tree branch to the stranded cadet in a sad attempt to assist   
him. Wufei stood at the top of the hill shaking his head.  
  
Tromping footsteps came from behind him and he turned to find Sally running up alone. She was out of breathe by the time she reached his side. She grabbed onto his arm for support as she tried to catch her breath. He stopped and assisted her.  
  
"Sally what are you doing here, and where is the rest of your group?" Wufei demanded. Sally was another few moments getting her breath before she was able to talk again.  
  
"Wufei... I.. I wanted to tell you something.." she began.  
  
"Where are the other?" he asked again becoming annoyed. By now the rest of Wufei's group had come back to see what the commotion was. They gathered around them listening intently to the breathless commander.  
  
"What is it onna? I haven't got all day out here in the cold!"I wanted to tell you something very important, but I'm not sure I should tell you now or later?"Damn it Sally! What the hell is it?" he roared.  
  
Sally stood up straight for a moment, smiled sweetly at him and winked. A gleam in her eye made Wufei pause. `What is she doing?`  
  
Sally leaned forward and whispered into his ear. Her breath warm on his cold cheek, she whispered to him something very strange.  
  
"Tag, you're it."  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
The air was filled with battle cries as falling snow balls rained down on them from the dense brush around. Someone shouted attack and as Wufei turned to see where from, got a snowball in the face.  
  
Laughing, Sally covered her head and ran for cover from the attack. Wufei's recruits were bewildered and confused from the sudden onslaught but after a moment to distinguish the situation returned fire.  
  
Wufei was hit in the back of the head and cursed. He saw Sally running and gave chase. She made it to the edge of the path when his arms wrapped around her waist and threw her to the ground. She landed in the deep snow in a fit of laughter, but before she was able to stand up he picked her up and swung he over his shoulder.  
  
Sally hung there stunned that her winter wonderland had suddenly turned upside down. Wufei stared up back up the hill with Sally.  
  
"All right onna! If it's a war you want! It's a war you're going to get!" He announced.  
  
"Wufei! What!? Hey! Put me down! I'm only kidding Wufei! Hey! Ahhh! WUFEI!!!" She screeched as she was flung into the deep snow at the bottom of the hill. Sally landed head first in it. She struggled to get her face above the cold white stuff and found it was almost too deep to move in. It forced its way down her jacket collar and onto her neck. Bending her neck back she was able to get her face high enough to see around her. Wufei stood at the edge of the snowdrift smiling.  
  
"You brought this on yourself Sally, so don't go getting all whiny about it now because you had to eat a little snow."  
  
As he said this someone behind him slipped on ice and slid down the hill knocking Wufei into the drift. He put his hands forward to stop his fall but his hands sunk into the snow so far he was face first in it anyway. Sally took this moment to attack. Using all her strength she threw herself at him in an attempt to pin him down. But only managed to get within a few feet. So she did the next best thing. As Wufei raised his head up, she started throwing snow in his face. He lashed out in defense with his arm sending up a flurry of white. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Sally landed against his   
chest with a thud, and was astonished when in one swift movement, he pulled open the back of her jacket and sweater and dumped snow down her back.  
  
"Ahh!!!!!"  
  
Wufei burst out laughing right then. Sally was frozen from the snow   
melting in her shirt. She wished she could move to strangle that   
laughing jackass.`Damn it! Ahh! F*&K that is so cold! Oh I'm going to get you for this!` She turned and saw Wufei next to her.  
  
She realised this was one of his rare moments. He had let down all his walls and taken off his resistant mask of emotion. This laughing fool in front of her was the real Wufei Chang. The one she knew had existed sense they had first met in the mountains when he had seemed so lost and alone. This was the person she had been digging for in   
that hard gundam pilot shell for all these years. She had often seen glimpses of his true self after he had grown to trust her more,and on long missions where they had been alone for a long time. Like the lastmission when they had to check out that plant, and had gotten swept down stream.  
  
His dying laugher brought her back to her surroundings. They were in the middle of a snow war, and the last attack from him was now running down her back. Sally took a hand full of snow and before he knew what she was going to do; pulled his shirt up and shoved the cold snow against his stomach.  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Wufei picked up his jacket from the hook and started out the door.  
  
"You can't tell me you didn't have fun?" Sally said as he left the office for the day.  
  
Wufei gave Sally another cold stare. "Good night Sally," he said and left. He hide his smile till he was safely in the elevator. Wufei had to admit to himself that he had, had fun today despite the cold. He had forgotten how good it felt just to relax and not worry about anything once in a while. Today's romp through the park with Sally   
had reminded him.  
  
The doors opened and he exited still smiling to himself. He passed Zechs on his way to his car. On any other occasion they might have passed by without so much as acknowledging the other's presence; however Zechs caught sight of the smile on the other gundam pilot's   
lips.  
  
He paused, turned, and watched him disappear down the corridor. Zechs had rarely seen Wufei in a pleasant mood, and to see him smile was even rarer. His mind wondered what could have happened to make his mask crack so much in just one day?  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Wufei put the last dish in the cupboard and shut the door. Another quiet night at home after work, but not a usual day of work. The trip to the park with Sally and the recruits had turned out to be the funniest thing Wufei had done in a long time. He had actually   
loosened up for a while and let his mask break, however he did not like the fact that afterwards he found it difficult to put back on. No mater how hard he tried to keep a straight face. He was sure Zechs had seen it, along with the lady in the apartment next to him that he met on the stares with an arm load of Christmas wrapping paper and supplies.  
  
"Time for bed Ottis, come on." He picked him up and placed him at the foot of his bed, just like every night. Moonlight shone in the window giving the room just enough light for Wufei to see his way around. He turned off the light and got into bed, and within minutes was asleep.  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
Later that night in the next apartment, sparks from an outlet lands on Christmas wrapping paper. It soon became flames, and the room filled with smoke.  
  
  
TBC. . . 


	11. Break Down

"Only a Moment"   
Chapter 11   
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
"Break Down"   
  
An ear splitting wail bolted Wufei straight up in bed, and found himself choking.`What?! Smoke? FIRE! I have to get out now!` Quickly he rolled out of bed and onto the floor, he put on his house-coat and made for the door. He was in the livingroom when he remembered Ottis. He turned around and went back into the bedroom and after a frantic search found him under the bed hissing madly. Wufei grabbed him and made a dash back for the door, hoping he hadn't wasted to much time. He grasped the door knob and burnt his hand.   
"Ahh! Dam it!" He cursed himself for being too slow.   
He could now feel the heat of the flames outside his door; the only exit to his apartment. Smoke stinging his eyes he got onto the floor again. The window in his room! Maybe he could get out through that! Gripping the still hissing cat Wufei made his way back to his bedroom again. His hand aching, his eyes hurt, and he was finding it increasingly hard to get air from the smoke filled room. He shut the door behind him and using whatever was closest shoved it in the crack at the bottom of he door.   
The window opened easily to his delight, only to show the splendid view from the 5th story building he lived in. The street lay far below him sprinkled with ambulance, and fire trucks a group of fire fighters holding a heave duty tarp open for people in the upper floors to jump if they had no other way down. They began shouting to him to jump.   
"Dam it! *cough, cough!* No way I'm jumping!" the heat began to burn his back through his housecoat, he turned in time to see the door as it burst into flames. He got a better grip on Ottis, "You had better have enough lives for both of us!"   
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
Sally opened the front door to her house and observed the melting snow in the morning light. She was all ready to go to the mall to do some major shopping. It had been a long time sense Sally had last taken a weekend off from doing extra work, and was feeling good about it. Well all except for the part where almost all the shopping she was doing was for someone else. She smiled and turned to Wufei.   
Wufei stood in the doorway to the kitchen wearing the robe from last night and his cat clawing at his feet before it took off running. The scowl on his face the same as last night and this mornings. He stud there like a stubborn child refusing help in fear of looking like a wimp, but in reality in desperate need of it at the same time.   
"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" Sally asked as a joke. Imagining she would not go out in public with only a house-coat and a cat. `Well you could skin the cat and make slippers out of him.. Na, I don't think he would go for that too much.`   
"Thank you onna, but I will decline your offer till I get some pants, or even shoes for that matter."   
"Alright then. I'll be back later, help yourself to whatever's in the fridge, and make yourself at home. And try not to let Sandy and that hair ball of your's get into to big a fight ok?" Sally sang shutting the door. "Guess that answers my question weather he sleeps in the buff or not."   
Wufei looked to where Ottis now stood on top of the fridge hissing at the yelping cocker spinal below. They had been like that almost the whole time sense he had gotten there last night. `Strange` he thought to himself, ` Ottis could never climb that high without my help, on a good day. Maybe that stupid dog will do him some good. Give him some exercises at least. Maybe Sally could give me some exercise too for that matter... oh ya.. Wait, what the hell?!?! No not her. never!`   
His first choice for people to call after his flying leap from his flaming apartment was Duo and Hilde because they did live closer to him then anyone else. However they had gone on their second honeymoon after they had returned from picking him and Sally up, and had not been heard from since. His next thought was maybe Quatre or Trowa, but that was out of the question because they were both off on the colonies. He didn't want to ask Heero or Relena for help, and Lady Une was out of town, so the only person left was Sally.   
Wufei sunk down into the extremely soft couch. He was horrified and yet pleased that Sally was going to get him some clothes. He found it nice that she was going out of her way for him, but he also knew she probably just did not want him walking around her house in his birthday suit either.   
Wufei realized his feeling for her had now matured beyond even his full understanding. The complex feeling of raw emotions for Sally began sometime ago but he suppressed this believing theses were just normal teen hormones in his body maturing and automatically fascinating him to the closest person of the opposite sex, which happen to be Sally. He was under the assumption that after he grew up theses unnatural, uneasy ideas he had been experiencing would dissolve, yet to his regret they grew. To the point when he sometimes feared to come in contact with her afraid that he might lost control of himself, and give in to these forceful urges. But with time and lots of training both mentally and physically he was able to mask this defiant affections toward her. But still it was hard to deny to himself how much he loved her. Now if only he wasn't sitting naked on her couch, in her house, with her out shopping for clothes for him, even underwear, he would not be so bad. Wufei slapped himself as he pictured Sally running her intense slim fingers over his underwear..   
"Something to eat!" Wufei jumped up and almost ran for th fridge.` NO, NO, NO! I can't let myself think like this! Not here, not so close.` He kicked the dog out of the way, and threw the cat across the room; he ripped open the door.. Nothing. A block of cheese, four apples, and half a dozen cans of different kinds of pop was all there was to great him. There was almost nothing in the fridge! He had to find something to occupy his mind to keep 'Her' out of his thoughts, but there was nothing to eat so now what? TV! Moving back to the living room where the momentously overstuffed pillow calling itself a couch sat, he quickly turned on the tv. That keep his interest for about 3 seconds.   
Sally wondered down the long lanes of men's clothing for the third time. She looked over all the shirts and pants, and other pieces of garment but nothing here seemed like something Wufei would wear. They would definitely look good on him, but they weren't something she thought he would buy for himself.   
Sally began to feel a tightness grow inside her chest. It was the same feeling she got before she emotionally collapsed. `Get clothes, food, and get it home and put it away.` Not much to it, just need to keep a straight face about it. She tried to change her thoughts to something more positive to buy her some time to get everything done.   
`Wait a second here! Who is shopping for who?? I'm here spending MY money to get HIM something to wear! So he should wear whatever I get for him weather he likes it or not!` With that in mind she began to grab stuff.   
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
"I'm back!" Sally announced entering her house and dropping the armload of bags onto the table.   
Wufei appeared out of nowhere behind her. "Is there anymore bags?" he asked. Sally almost jumped out of her skin. Wufei's house-coat was open at the top reveling his bare well toned chest. Sally could see the muscles rippling under the skin like electricity. Sally's mouth began to water at the sight of his exposed skin, and quickly mentally slapped herself.   
"Umm, ya. A few I'm going to get them now. Here you go see if these fits and then I'll be back." She handed him a bunch of bags and hurried back out the door.   
Sally leaned agent the open trunk of her car. Four more bags had to be taken in but she just couldn't do it. Taking them out, would mean having to bring them in. Having to see him like that again! `Can't do that, shouldn't do that, very bad to do that.... have no choice.` She had to face him soon. A lump rose in her throat. `God why does it have to be so hard? Every time I see him it's like toucher. I...I ... want to be with him so much, but I can't .. It wouldn't be right. I'm going to die soon and....`   
"Stop it! Dam it, come on Sally you can do better then this." she scolded herself. She wiped the tears from her eyes and reached for the bags with shaking hands. "Come on.." tears began again, "stop..." they started to run down her cheeks. Her trembling hands gripped the rim of the trunk to keep her from collapsing as her knees became to weak to support her.   
A soft hand on her shoulder caused her to look up and into the eyes of Wufei. For a moment she stud there gazing into his face. She could see the concern in his eyes for her; it made her feel sick. She was making him worry over her.   
She turned away from him and tried to bring herself under control. She couldn't do this to him! However; her strength failed her all together when he gently turned her around and wrapped his arms around her.` Oh dear God no, please no Wufei. Don't do this to me please....` Sally gave in to the painful emotions within and began to cry.   
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
"Thank you.." she whispered again which was all she could do. Her throat was sour from crying and her eyes were starting to close on her. Sally took a sip of the green tea Wufei had handed her.   
"Better?" he asked placing himself beside her on the couch.   
She nodded, "Ya.. Guess all I needed was a good cry... feels good once in a wile. . . What time is it?" Sally wondered how long she had been an emotional wrek. After she had broken down Wufei had taken her in and sat her on the couch before bringing in the rest of the stuff. Then he had sat with her holding her, and whispering soothing words in her ear till she had cried out all the pain; he had not said anything else till a few minutes ago when he asked her if she wanted something to drink. She had said yes, and he had brought her some tea. Now they sat watching the snow fall outside the window.   
"9:30." he said.   
Sally looked at him in disbelief. `I spent all day crying?!?! oh my god! I didn't think it was that late! He must think I'm such a wimp.`   
"Oh, sorry. It looks like I wasted the whole day."   
"No, it's alright." he said after a moment. Sally covered her mouth as she yawned. She felt very tired. Her eyelids began to shut; she yawned again.   
"I guess I'm a little tired."   
"It's ok. You just relax." he said.   
"But it's not that late...." she tried to say before falling asleep. Wufei caught the cup as it slipped from her fingers.   
"I'm sorry," Wufei slipped his hands under her limp body, and lifted her into his arms. "I had to do this Sally, you really need rest. When you wake up you will feel much better."   
He pulled back the blankets to her bed, and placed her on the fresh sheets. He stood there looking down at her for a moment taking in her beauty. He wished there was something else he could do for her. ` If I took off her clothes she would be more comfortable... NO, NO, NO!! I can't let myself start thinking like this!` However his hands had already unbuttoned her shirt. His eyes wandered over sleeping beauty in front of him. A red lace bar held her perfectly as soft silky skin tempted his hands to explore this new area. Forcing his hands to obey him, he took off her belt and slipped off her jeans. His finger tip ended up running down the side of her leg from pantie line to ankle, and it took him a minute or so before he was able to move again. Tucking her in, he retreated back to the guest room.   
"What am I doing to do?" Wufei asked the night air, but there was no response.   
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
Sunlight lit the room around her. It reflected off the white sheets on the bed making the room bright and warm, and Sally was to comfortable to move. The plush comforter hugged her like a cocoon. Sally felt calm and very relaxed.   
`Oh god, this feels soooooo good! I don't want to get up it's way to comfortable right here.. It isn't it Sunday? I don't' have to get up! Yes!... its to bothering to think right now...` She stretched her arms over he head for the top rung of her brass head board. The comforter slid effortlessly over her skin. `That's odd.. It feels like I'm not wearing anything...` She lifted up the end of the soft plush comforter to see the top of her breast... `oh, I'm not wearing anything that's why... `   
Wufei placed the plate on the tray and headed for Sally's room. He knocked softly on the door.   
"Sally.. Are you up yet?" he asked.   
"Yes, come in."   
He entered slowly not sure what to expect. Sally lay in bed eyes closed one hand holding the headboard the other by her side. He sat the tray down on the bedside table and sat next to her. She opened her blue eyes and gazed up into his onyx ones. He smiled down at his beautiful partner laying so peacefully before him. It was an image he wanted to hold in his mind and heart forever. With silky hair flowed over white fabric pillow covers she looked so relaxed.   
Sally smiled up at him, "Good morning Wufei."   
"Are you hungry?" he asked gesturing to the tray he had set on the table, "I brought you some breakfast.."   
"Oh Wufei you didn't have to do this for me."   
"I had some left over," he stood up and moved towards the door, "I'll be in the living room if you need anything." He was out the door when she called his name.   
"Wufei."  
"Yes."   
"Where are my clothes?"   
"I er.. I thought that you would be more comfortable." he was glad he was turned so she couldn't see him blush. He cursed himself for last nights weakness.   
"Oh.. Thank you." but he had already left.   
Deciding it would be best not to let whatever it was Wufei brought her get cold Sally pulled herself to a sitting position in the bed and placed the tray on her lap. There was two pieces of toast, a small stack of pancake and a glass of orange juice. `Odd`, Sally thought, `I didn't think Wufei liked pancakes.`   
Wufei took an apple which would be his breakfast from the basket on the table. His mind raced as he planted himself on the couch remote in hand, Sandy on his back asleep at his feet. He would finish the dishes later after Sally was done eating.  
TBC....... 


	12. Shopping

"Only a Moment..."   
Chapter 12   
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
"Shopping"   
  
Clothes hangers slid along the metal rod in the closet. It scraped the now well worn path it had been shoved along all morning.   
  
"See! Nothing!! I have absolutely nothing in here worth wearing, so I'm not going!"   
  
"Come on please! You have to go!"   
  
"No! I've made up my mind, I'm staying home."   
  
Noin looked pleading at Sally trying to make the best puppy dog eyes she could, "please.." Lady Une's annual Christmas Eve dinner and dance was the next night and Noin was determined to get her dear friend out for some fun.   
  
"Just think of last time, remember how much fun we had? Everyone one was having such a good time and there are so many memories too. Like the time Duo got drunk, I never laughed so hard in my life! Now you can't tell me that wasn't funny?"   
  
Sally smiled remembering the event two Christmas Eves ago. It was on a clear crisp night with everything covered in freshly fallen show, and shimmering lights. It would have been the perfect night if Duo hadn't got drunk and puked everywhere, and poor Hilde was so embarrassed she made him take a taxi home by himself.   
  
"Alright I'll go, but you have to help me pick out a new dress alright?" Sally humored her friend good intentions. She knew she meant well but in truth Sally had never had much fun at any of those Christmas Eve dances. Everyone she had been to had been more of a reminder of what she didn't have. Everyone dancing on the dance floor, being held close by someone you loved made her feel very lonely.   
  
"Great! How about we go shopping right now while there's still a chance there's some good dresses left."   
  
The two women got into the car and drove down main street to the main mall in the city. The parking lot was packed with thousands of last minute shoppers in a mad rush to grab whatever was left. The two women tried for a half hour to find a spot, and in the end had to stalk a walker to his car then almost run everyone else down to get it. Inside was no better; wall to wall people in every store almost unable to move. Christmas trees stood almost stripped of all sellable decorations in store windows. Sally watched Noin closely moving behind her, concerned for the expectant mother.   
  
"Noin I'm not sure you should really be here in your state. I mean the baby...."   
  
"Sally I'm fine really. Nothing is going to happen trust me, now go into this store here, I want to see what dresses they have left. I hope there is something good."   
  
Noin and Sally managed to separate themselves from the living see of human bodies in the main hall way. The store they entered was amazingly quiet and empty. A few dresses hung on a hanger next to the changing room doors. A lady with a name tag approached them.   
  
"Merry Christmas. If there is anything I can help you with I will be more than willing to help, but there isn't much left I'm afraid."   
  
"Well we were hoping that maybe you would have something left that would fit my friend here." said Noin.   
  
The women eyed Sally head to foot before speaking, "Well I'm not sure what will fit but I believe there might be something left, come with me." She went to the small group of clothes by the changing rooms, "May I ask what size Miss?"   
  
"Oh, ummm... a 13 I think.." Sally stammered. That was the size of the last dress she bought new anyway, about 4 years ago.   
  
A while later she had tried on every dress that was left on the hangers. The dresses that had sleeves didn't fit, and others were way to low in the front for her liking. Either everything didn't fit right, or looked horrible. Sally began to feel annoyed about the whole thing. What was the point of going through all this just to sit alone... again?! Anger and despair began to take over as they wandered from store to store in vain. There was just nothing left to pick from! Finally they found themselves back in the same store that they had gone in.   
  
"Noin I know you're trying to do this for me but I want to go now." wording it as nicely as she could. The same clerk approached them again.   
  
"Still haven't found anything?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Well then there is one more dress I don't believe I've shown you, if you like..."   
  
"No thank you, that's quite alr...." Sally was quitted by a jab in her side from Noin.   
  
"What my friend means is that yes, we would love to see it." Despite what her friend wanted, Noin was determined to get a dress for her. The clerk took them into the back rooms of the store out of site of the regular shoppers. The dark and musty rooms were full of boxes right to the ceiling. They stud tittering and swaying slightly as they passed. Finally they stopped in front of a rack of dresses.   
  
"These are the ones people put on lay away and the time on them is up. We're going to up them out tomorrow but you can see if there is anything you like now. There's a room over there you can change in, I'll be right back." and hurried back out into the main store.   
  
The rack held about nine dresses of every color and every style. Some of them hung, the bottoms slightly touching the floor, while others looked like they wouldn't even reach mid thigh. Noin began to check the sizes and pulled out three. One was dark blue with shimmery sparkles twinkling like sapphires in a flower pattern around the neckline, twisting around to the back and then down to the bottom of the dress to about knee length. The next was deep rose red. The silky fabric shined and shimmered as it hugged the body and ended about mid thigh. Form fitting, it left little to the imagination. The last was lily-white. Tiny jewels reflected the light like little diamonds. The jewels moved in a wave pattern all around the flowing ankle length dress. The top hung loose around the neck held by slender straps criss-crossing down the low back.   
  
"I'm not sure which looks better on you Sally? They all look so beautiful on you!" Noin commented as she and Sally tried to decide. Just then the clerk came back to see how everything was going.   
  
"Have you found anything yet?" she asked.   
  
"Yes but I can't decide." said Sally.   
  
"Those are the ones? Oh you have get this one!" the clerk exclaimed holding it up to Sally, "It's simply stunning!"   
  
Sally held it up to herself and looked in the mirror. It truly did look stunning on her. "Yes.. I think I will get this one."   
  
After paying for the dress they decided to take a break and get some lunch. Amazingly the rush of people had died down and it was much easier to move around. They found a table in the food court close to the main restaurants, and Sally got her and Noins'' meal.   
  
"Sally," Noin began, "can I ask you something?"   
  
Sally was a bit puzzled why her best friend would ask permission to ask a question, " Sure Noin. What is it?"   
  
She paused for a moment arranging the proper words, and shoved a meatball around the plate. Quietly she asked, "Do you have any regrets in life? I mean .... what I mean is.... would there be anything you would have done differently if you had known?.. ah never mind. I'm sorry Sally I just.. I'm just... the baby.. I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a mother. I mean I hardly remember my own parents, so how am I going to be able to teach this child how to live life? How am I going to be able to protect this child. What about..."   
  
"Noin calm down. It will be ok I promise you! You're going to be a great mother, and you'll have Zechs helping you. Just take it one day at a time and you'll get the hang of it. You've taken on harder things then this remember the Eve wars when you had to defend PeaceMillion from Zechs. You remember how hard that was, then this will be a snap! Food, shelter, a bit of discipline, and lots and lots of love. You can do that I know you can. Noin you're going to be a great mother, " Sally took hold of Noins'' hand, "trust me."She smiled at her friend till she smiled back.   
  
"Sorry Sally. I'm just a bit nervous about having this baby."   
  
"It's alright." her mind wondered over the question she had asked.. `what do I regret? At the moment I can't really thing of anything that I want, besides my life back. There's nothing position wise I ever wanted... a ring.. I want a ring.. A wedding ring. My own wedding ring. I've always wanted to get married ....` Sally looked at her friend across the table. ` and I've always wanted to be a mother.`   
  
"So what are you getting Wufei?" Noin asked between mouth fulls.   
  
"Umm.. I haven't even thought about it.. I guess I should get him something." Sally said not bothering to look up from her tray.   
  
"What? Well we should get him something today while there's still some time."   
  
After they finished eating the two women began to look through some of the shops and stores for something for Wufei. Neither knowing just what he would like. By, and by Noin had to go home and Sally was left on her own.   
  
  
The endless halls and numerous shops provided little help. The marble floor moved under her as her feet took her to the last shop in the mall. Rows of steel blades hung behind glass all over that walls. Knives, swords, throwing knives, daggers, ninja stars, short swords, viper knives, survival knives, brass weight, hibben knives, butterfly knives, battle axes, crossbows, ninja chains, masses, clubs, sword sets, tachi sword, gladiator swords, concealed blades, samurai swords, grappling hook, steal blade throwing cards, and even a batman legacy throwing set of those bat shaped things he use to throw at people.   
  
It was a wonder how in this peaceful time a place like this could stay open? Almost ever inch of space contained a piece of ninja equipment or blade of some kind. At first Sally was going to just turn around and walk out when something caught the corner of her eye. On the wall next to the door was a 34" sword covered in spikes. It didn't even look possible to touch without getting one or more spikes stuck in your hand. In back on the main sword blade was a smaller piece of steel. She looked at the one next to that which was more sleek and lighter. A short sword, it had on the handle two griffin heads, and at the end of the handle the head of a double headed snake. It was a bit smaller then the first, but more elegant.   
  
"Griffin short sword."   
  
Sally almost jumped when the man standing behind her spoke, "and first one was a Star Gladiator. Those are the two most popular. If you want anything ask." and then he walked away.   
  
Sally stood there for a moment watching him leave, then continued to look at the swords and knives. Some were fantastically crafted and designed, like something out of a medieval story. Handles entwined with mythological beast like unicorns and dragons, wile others carried the heads of tigers, bears, and snakes. Finally after a while of looking over everything she found what she was looking for.   
  
It had a green wooden handle with a gold and silver spikes. The blade was sleek and sharp. Underneath was the name that said Hornet Short sword.   
  
"Good choice." said a voice from behind that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. That man was back again!!   
  
"Thanks."   
  
"You want to pay for it now?" he asked.   
  
"Yes that would be fine."   
  
He pulled out a key ring with about twenty keys dangling from it and stuck one in the cabinet key hole. It opened with a click and he took out the Hornet Short sword and carefully took it to the counter followed close behind by Sally. The price came to about fifty dollars which pleased Sally. She lifted it up and examined the blade closely. It was sharpened to a razor edge the whole length of the steal shaft. Sally made the mistake of running her hand along the blade; at that moment a costumer in the store stepped backward into Sally and the blade sliced the palm of her hand.   
  
"Would you like it gift-wrapped?" he asked.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
She did have the guy gift wrap the sword after he bandaged her hand. She placed the last few gifts under the tree and stepped back. It was a small tree, but it suited the purpose. The lights twinkled on it as she plugged it in.   
  
"You're just running up the bill onna." came a voice from the couch.   
  
"I don't care." she replied and sat next to him.   
  
A small fire was burning in the fire place, and Christmas carols on every channel. It was a peaceful night, the night before Christmas Eve. Everything outside their home was covered in more fresh snowfall. Then it glowed every color of the rainbow under the Christmas lights strung up and down the street. Front yards were decorated with snowmen and their families, stars and baby Jesus. Wufei and Sally both had the holidays off this year since they had worked during them last year. Even during the holidays crime happens so some sucker has to work. Wufei handed the remote over to Sally.   
  
"Here onna, I can't find anything besides these same old carols they play every year. You would think that by now they would have made some new ones."   
  
Sally reached for the remote, "Who knows? Maybe there are some new ones on later .."   
  
"Onna, what happened to your hand?" Wufei declared dropping the remote and taking hold of her hand. Blood had worked its way threw the cloth bandage and made the wound look much worse then it was. "Who did this to you?"   
  
Sally sat there lost in the sudden feeling of Wufei holding her hand. His touch was very gentle and soft as he carefully removed the bandage. The feel of his fingertips running over the cut made her shudder and pull her hand back, but her held it snug. She willing went with him as he led her to the bathroom where he removed the first add kit from under the sink. He took out a new bandage, peroxide, and some cotton swabs.   
  
"Hand." he demanded.   
  
"Its not that bad really."   
  
"Now!"   
  
Sally held out her hand for him. He held her hand gently dabbing the cut with the cotton ball. The peroxide burned and bubbled on the wound almost the only sound in the bathroom. Sally started the feel the silence grow heavier and so did Wufei, who finally broke the quiet.   
  
"How did this happen?" he asked.   
  
Sally thought fast for a reason this might have happened, "ah, someone dropped a glass vase in the mall and I was helping clean it up before anyone got hurt."   
  
"Looks like you're the one that got hurt. Hold still I have to put on a new bandage." he took a sec to examine her hand. It was smaller then his and fit nicely in his palm. Holding it he didn't want to let it go again. He bandaged up her hand and put away the first aid kit.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Diamonds shimmered under the glass casing under the counter top. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings sat in little pink and red velvet cases around the store like fresh cut roses; and for a good reason. A sign hung by the door which read, *Bye more then fifty dollars worth and receive a dozen long stem roses white, or red.* Streamers hung from the ceiling and twisted to every corner. Wufei stood in the middle of the store looking around a bit lost. His feet had taken him there the day of Christmas Eve, the first place he went after entering the mall. He was there to do a little last minute shopping but as usual had no idea what to get. Everything in this store was just too glittery to him. One thing looked like another almost, and he turned and left.   
  
An hour later Wufei found himself back at the store again. For some reason he kept going back there. The clerks in the store busily rushed around from one customer to another asking if they needed an help finding something. In the back he could see a women wrapping gifts for customers for a long line of people. And once again his feet walked him forward into the store.   
  
He gazed over the jewelry display under the glass counter top. Something blue caught his eye and he moved over to the earring display. There was a tiny pair of blue earrings the same as Sally had. This gave him an idea. He was going to give Sally the best Christmas he could.   
  
"Can I help you with anything?" a clerk asked him.   
  
"Yes. I would like to get that," he said pointing to a pair of earring he hoped Sally would like. He wandered around the store a few times looking at one thing then another. Something else caught his eye, "and that too.."   
  
The women paused and looked at him for a moment then retrieved the items he requested.   
  
  
TBC... 


	13. Watching the Moon Set

WARNING!!: Lemon/lime at the end of this chapter! You have been warned!   
  
"Only a Moment..."  
Chapter 12.9  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
"Watching the moon set"  
  
  
Sally turned off the tv and sat in the dark. The worst part about winter is that it gets dark very early. Ottis curled on her lap as Sandy napped on her feet. Lady Une's Christmas eve pantie was in an hour that meant she would have to get started soon. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to go or not. She knew it would make Noin happy and Sally was sure Noin was going to be there. Noin and Zech almost never missed a party, and she dough the fact that her delivery date was within the next 48 hours was going to be a set back. However, the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach grew a bit as the thought of another dance sitting on the side lines. She didn't want to feel that; she didn't want to feel that kind of pain again. Sally suddenly realized that she had no idea how to dance! Well slow dance anyway, she knew how to do the group thing where all the girls gathered for a fast song. Who didn't know that? Despite her strong personality, and sprite she would never ask someone to dance with her. In her mind if she had to ask someone then it meant she really was sad. ` I'm about 25 and I have never slow danced with anyone! How pathetic is that? Everyone I know has danced at least once in their lifetime. Even Wufei, I heard him say he was married once. He had to have danced with her once!`  
  
"Shouldn't you start getting ready?" Wufei came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and another he used to dry his hair.  
  
"I'm not going." Sally declared.  
  
"If I have to go, then your going to onna."  
  
"Leave me alone." She said tossing the cat on the couch next to her, and almost stepping on the dog heading for her room. There she lay herself face down on the bed and closed her eyes. It was about six, but Sally figured she could probably sleep from then till the next morning, and miss the whole dreaded thing. If she prayed hard enough. The clock on the side table clicked in a soothing rhythm counting the seconds away one by one. The new dress hung in the closet back the door with a few other accessaries. She closed her eyes and thought about sleeping and all the wonderful things that came with it. The quite, the relaxed felling when waking up in the morning, the strong hands rubbing her shoulders. Working out all that tenseness and frustration from the day. Rubbing her back with firm strong fingers . . . ? Something was not normal here.  
  
"Wufei?"  
  
He gently pulled her to a sitting position next to him, "Why don't you want to go to the dance?" he asked, but she didn't respond.  
  
"Onna, answer me. Are you embarrassed about something?"  
  
"You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Try me."  
  
Sally cleared her throat, " I don't know how to dance . . . no one ever asked me." She said.   
  
Her response took him aback for a moment: it was not what he was expecting. That was the last thing he thought she would have said. The women he had known four years ago would not have worried about such an insignificant thing. Who cares if you know how to dance or not? He sure as hell didn't care! The idea that she might no longer be the strong person she was when they first met scared him. Sally was really slipping away from him.  
  
"See. You have no idea." And flopped back on the bed.  
  
"Why didn't you ask someone then if it meant so much to you? Aren't you supposed to be the onna that never does anything properly?" he asked.   
  
She smiled at the comment, then shock her head in the pillow, "too pathetic."  
  
"All right then. Will you go if I ask you to dance with me?" Wufei almost slapped himself. Why did he say that? That was way too obvious. For a moment Sally didn't move. Maybe she didn't hear him?  
  
"All right I'll go. But you better dance with me or I'll never forgive you."  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
He stretched out as far as he could before rolling over onto his back and watching Sally upside down from the bed. His tail thwacked back and forth signifying he was wound up. Ottis watched for anything moving that he might play with. A loss thread, a shew lace, maybe the shine sparkles from the bottom of Sally's new white dress? Yes a nice sparkle! It would be fun to try and rip them off! Then throw them in the air and pounce on them as the hit the floor. Ottis's eyes widened as Sally slipped the dress over her head. The white silk fabric drifted around her as she stood in front of the mirror. The sparkles twinkled like Ottis's eyes as he began to focus on one of the shine specks of light. He crouched on the bed ready to pounce; on tiptoes he moved closer. A soft growl came to his ear and he caught sight if the cocker spinal's white teeth in the corner of his eye. The dam dog new what he was up to! In a flash Ottis took off out the half open door with a yelping dog close at his heals.  
  
Sally smiled at the scene and continued her preparations. The blush brush brushed over her cheeks once more then was placed in the makeup bag. Removing the curlers from the high ponytail let ringlets tumble down the back of her neck. She was almost read to go, and just in time there was about 15 minutes before the party started. The phone rang in the living room, but before she could leave to answer it she heard Wufei get it. She went back to her makeup kit on her dresser table and searched for a good shade of lipstick. Nothing to dark, but she wanted it to be a bit noticeable and decided on a light pink with a silver shimmer threw it.   
  
"Sally." Wufei was outside the door. He gripped the jewelry box in his hand behind his back.   
  
"Come in."  
  
The door opened slowly as he entered he had to blink a few times to make sure that was Sally standing there. She was amazing! Where did she get that body?! It almost didn't even look like the person he knew! She looked like an angel! Absolutely heavenly, bathed in a white halo of light.  
  
"What is it?" she asked dabbing the excess lipstick off her pink lips with a tissue.  
  
"Ah, that was the office. I have to go take care of something right now."  
  
Sally paused and threw the tissue in the garbage can and began to put away the makeup and other stuff. Put the rest of it in the bag and placed that in the drawer. She keeps her eyes from his view. The bit of dampness, a sign of weakness.  
  
"So your not going, I see."  
  
"No. It's nothing big. I'm still going. I'm just going to be a few minutes late that's all. I said I would dance with you and I will."   
  
Sally smiled and approached him. The white dress swayed as she walked. "Really?"  
  
"Yes onna. But your not going to wear those earings are you?"  
  
"What's wrong with them?" a little concerned about her appearance all of a sudden. They were the only ones she really had, and believed they matched but if Wufei noticed . . . what does he know about matching anyway, he's a man!   
  
"I think they should look something like this." Stepping toward her he opened the box for her to see. A pair of diamond studied earing framed in gold rings. Sally was stunned. They were beautiful!  
  
"Do you like them?" he asked. Sally couldn't respond she was too shocked so she nodded.   
  
"Yes! Oh my god Wufei you didn't have to do this! ." Sally gasped. Quickly she took out the ones she had in and replaced them with the diamonds.   
  
"This is your only Christmas gift from me." He said. He drew her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on the soft skin then hurried out the door. Sally stood there stunned speechless for the second time that night. She could still feel his lips on the back of her hand burning the skin.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
"I don't think he's coming Sally." Noin drank the rest of her water. They sat at the end of the large buffet table in the dinning room of Lady Une's mansion. It sat far outside town at the edge of a forest. Une owned the land around for about sixty Acers in every direction.   
  
It was a clear cold night, the dance had worn on all evening but there was no sign of Wufei. It was almost midnight now and the dance was winding down. Duo and Hildy were tearing up the dance floor wile, Quatre and Trowa sat talking at a table in the corner. Somewhere along the line Heero and Relena had vanished without a trace, most likely to find an empty room somewhere. Their wedding was in another month and neither had ever looked happier. Sally sat with Zech and Noin and mostly talked about Lady Une's date. A former Oz soldier that fought that turned out to be Auto's twin brother. He and Zech spent a long time laughing over things they had done wile in training. Yes everyone was there more or less except Wufei. He had not shown up like he said he would, and Sally had still not danced with anyone. Her heart began to sink. A few more songs played and still no Wufei.  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
"Quatre I never realized how jealous you can get.!" Trowa took another swig of his beer and glanced across the table at Quatre. He sat there and shoved the cherry from the sundae he had eaten around the dish with his spoon.   
  
"I don't know what you mean Trowa? Why would I be jealous?" he asked innocently.  
  
Trowa finished his beer and gestured to the nearest waiter to bring him another.""You know what I mean. Every time I'm with someone else you become jealous."  
  
"I do not, but I think you've had a few to many. Maybe you should stop wile you're ahead."  
  
"No I'm fine. See if I were to go over there and ask Sally to dance you would be jealous. I mean she looks absolutely ravenous tonight! Who wouldn't want to dance with her?"   
  
"You know no one dances with Sally. Everyone knows how overprotective Wufei is about her, they're afraid of what he would do to them. Poor Sally . . . She cares about him to, just. They can't seem to find a way to talk about it. And I bet she got all dressed up tonight for him too. She looks sad . . . besides you have no feelings for her anyway! It wouldn't mean anything."  
  
"Still make you jealous." Trowa took the new bottle of beer from the waiter and popped off the cap.  
  
"Would not! I think you've had one to many."  
  
"Watch. " Trowa put down the bottle and moved toward where Sally and the others were sitting.   
  
"Hey Sally." Trowa appeared behind her.  
  
"Hello Trowa, enjoying the party?"   
  
"Yes, would you like to dance with me?" he asked. He offered her his hand.   
  
Sally was surprised and gladly accepted his offer. He was not Wufei, but it was a hell of a lot better then sitting on the sidelines for another slow dance. There was a slight bit of pain at the fact that her first dance would no be with Wufei. There were three more songs left; the dance was almost over and had still not shown up, her hope for him was gone. Even if he left right this moment he would still not make it. Trowa guided her out onto the floor into the sea of other couples.  
  
"I have to worn you I'm not that good of a dancer."  
  
"That's all right neither am I." He replied placing a hand on her waist. They began to move around the floor. Lights dimmed, and the disco ball lit everything up. The lights hit the gems on her dress making them dance with light.  
  
"You look lovely tonight." He complemented.   
  
"Thank you." They floated around the floor a few more times. Most of the song drifted by without a word.  
  
"Sally is there something the matter?" Trowa's voice cut into her thoughts.   
  
"Am I that obvious?" `Must be if Trowa is talking this much . . . wait a sec is he drunk?` The smell of alcholo smelled quite strong on his breath. Sally took a quick peak as they turned and saw Quatre looking jealous as a fox, and Trowa in front of her grinning like a cheesier cat! `Quarter, jealous over me and Trowa?! Ya right! Maybe I've had too much to drink!`  
  
"Not really. I just know when there's something wrong . . . I'm sure he wanted to be here."  
  
She smiled and thanked him as the song ended. She watched Trowa sit back down at his and the blond boy's table only to be given the silent treatment.   
  
Trowa took a drink of his beer, "told ya."  
  
Quatre shook his head in defeat, "all right you win this round . . . but I'm not the one who's going to be suffering from one hell of a hang over tomorrow morning will I?"  
  
The next was a fast, up beet song that mostly everyone danced to. No one was paying any attention to her so she except out the French doors and out into the frozen garden. Branches snapped and cracked in the cold air. Light from a full moon made everything glimmer. She stopped at the edge of the garden farthest from the mansion on the edge of an open field. She could see her breath in the air.   
  
"I love the earing Wufei, but I really wanted to dance with you tonight . . . "  
  
"That's why I'm here." Said a voice.  
  
It was Wufei. She turned and found him leaning against the trunk of a tree. His jet black tux matched his loose hair, and eyes.  
  
"You look beautiful."  
  
Sally turned away to try and hide her blush.   
  
"Things took a bit longer then I thought." He held out a white rose. Sally blushed deeper and accepted it. Their hands touched causing sparks to snap at her fingers. His fingertips burned hers. Clouds in the sky drop a light flurry of snow flacks. They sparkled in the sky as they settled in her hair twinkling like a halo.  
  
"I hope you don't mind. I got you something to make up for it. Turn around."  
  
She did so and waited. He stepped closer to her body. She could feel his heat on her back and his warm breath on her neck. His hand brushed against her back making her shiver. Some ruffling around and fabric rubbed against another, there was a soft click of something opening and a sliver chain was place around her neck. Her eyes flew open at the sensation of the cold metal.  
  
She couldn't let this happen. This was to close. It wasn't right. She was going to hurt him if she gave in. He shouldn't have bought her all this stuff. He shouldn't be this kind. He shouldn't be this loving. He can't love her! `Please don't do this . . . I can't stop you Wufei, please forgive me . . . `   
  
He could feel her, smell he, see every curl in her hair. Soft features of her skin, the goos' bumps on her back. Thin straps held her dress, fragile and slender like ice-sickles. The lose front moving up and down as she breathed. Almost hear her heart beating. He was so in love with her. She was his life in every way. The air he breathed, the ground he walked on and everything around. She was the center of his world. His very existence depended on her. `Sally let me love you. If only for a moment.`  
  
The music from the last slow song of the night drifted through the winter garden. She turned to face him. His hand wound its was around her waist on the exposed skin of her back. The other to her head, where it go tangle in her hair. The touch made her gasp and he drew he closer. His onyx eyes burned into hers. They swayed to the soft music form the dance. Their breath became one, and their lips touched for their first real kiss.   
  
`No` Zech watched as the lovers kissed. He stood in the door way to the mansion gardens. Noin is going to be devastated when she finds out. Now she will lose two friends instead of one. His life will end the moment hers does . . . `   
  
"Zech, what's wrong? You looked worried about something." Noin asked approaching him.  
  
He wrapped her in his arms and led her to an empty corner of the dance floor away from the garden door. "Nothing love, just watching the moon set. Come let me dance with you before the night ends."  
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~  
  
"Oh gods . . . " he cut her off again before she could finish. His lips ravaged hers with a deep lusting kiss. He pressed himself against her causing her to gasp. He took this opportunity and explored her mouth with his tongue. Reaching into every corner, dueling for control against hers. So warm, no. Hot! He wanted her so badly it hurt, physically. Every fiber of his being was aware of her potion under him. Her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, her hair lay out everywhere. Her sent intoxicating, blinding him to the world around. Traiz could have walked in the door and offered him a rematch Wufei would not have noticed. `Sally I love you! Oh naticou forgive me. I cannot help the way I feel about her. Forgive me Sally. I need you.`  
  
The only lighting in the room was from the fire place. Its soft glow lit the living room just enough to set the perfect mood. His fingers burned as they roamed over her. `Wufei I can't say no. You have to stop. Oh please don't do that, it feels too good! I want more! Lots more! Yes, Yes that's it! Oh gods! I want this, I want you the same way you want me I really do! I'm sorry if I'll hurt you but you know my fate, and you want the same.`  
  
Her fingers found their way under his shirt and began to rube his chest and lower abs. Her dress melted off her body under his fingers. He ravaged the soft skin he found there with his tongue. He licked the inside of Sally's legs up to where it joined her body making her cry out in pleasure. His responds was the same when it was her turn.  
  
She could feel him pressing against her center, so hard, and so soft. She wanted it, she needed it, but Wufei was not just going to give in. Harsh words on his lips met with her ear. Words that made her heart sing with joy to the heavens, and break apart. Shatter like glass thrown against the stone wall of reality. Those words made her want to cry, and cry, and cry.   
  
"Marry me!" A struggle to form the words. At least that's what she thought she heard. He was so close to her. He never paused before he was kissing her again, then Sally was sure she had heard right.   
  
"I love you . . . "  
  
"Wufei I . . . "he pressed his hard member against her harder, tempting to enter. Her breath caught in her throat, the sensation sent shivers of pleasure through her body. She couldn't take much more of that. His sent surrounded her, he seemed to be everywhere. His hands were all over her, touching every inch of skin.  
  
She formed the last word before her world split in two," ye. Yes." The last word before her world was ripped in two.  
  
"I love you . . . "  
  
  
TBC..... 


	14. Christmas Morning

"Only a Moment..."   
Chapter 14   
~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
"Christmas Morning"   
  
The snow storm was over, Sally woke still in Wufei's arms. Her head resting on his chest she could feel his faint heart beat in time with her own. She could hear his lungs taking in the air and expanding, before he exhaled with a soft sound. The living room was quiet and still other then that. Dying embers in the fireplace cast flickering shadows over the floor in front of the two sleeping lovers. Dim sunlight poked around the corners of the closed window. The light shadowed the bounces of white, red and a single dusty pink rose. The small card leaned against the bottom of the vase; read the words of a long forgotten poet who's song had lasted through out the age :   
  
The red rose whispers of passion,   
and the white rose breaths of love;   
Oh, the red rose is a falcon,   
And the white rose is a dove   
  
But I send you a cream white rosebud,   
With a flush on its petal tips;   
For the love that is purest and sweetest   
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.   
  
She nuzzled her face into his chest and sighed happily. This man, once a gundam polet had saved the world, and the human race before he had achieved his full height. Lost his childhood to become a warrior and fight a battle he did not start. Lost his dreams of becoming a scholar to avenge the lives of those he could not save and was forced to watch die in his arms. A devastated broken child the first time they met. She could see the pain, the torment, the loss of hope, but also the man within. The strong noble soul she saw when he fought with his heart. The man she tried so long to bring out in him, now held her in his arms, and had asked to marry her. She had fallen for this man long before she realized that the child she had first met had grown up. This man had fallen in love with her too. He knew her fate and had accepted the consequences of this action.   
  
"So you are awake." Wufei pulled the red comforter tighter around them, "Merry Christmas."   
  
"Merry Christmas to you.. Do you know if the power is back on?" Sally asked.   
  
He looked around the room, "The fire's out and were not frozen so I think it is. . . That was some storm last night."   
  
"I enjoyed it."   
  
Wufei chuckled.`Yes that was some storm last night.` "Good thing you had a fire place or we would have been really cold."   
  
"Um hum.." Sally murmured in his chest. She had no intention of moving. They stayed there for another hour or so just holding each other. The dying ember finally went out and the room was dark. The clock on the wall ticked away the minutes while they just lay there. Ashes crackled in the fireplace a few feet away. Sally stretched out in his arms and suddenly twitched as if in pain before snuggling back against his body. Her movement made his body respond automatically, but his mind was somewhere else. On last night and an event he had not foreseen.   
  
"Sally... I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't know ..." Wufei began to apologize but Sally kissed his lips and cut him off. He was frozen by her tast and soft touch. He kissed her back savoring the soft tender moment between them, much gentler then the night before. It ended much to soon for either of there liking but breathing is a good thing to do.   
  
"I don't remember it.." she smiled and kissed him again. Sally wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to be equal with her face. They both rolled over so Wufei was slightly on top, but not crushing Sally. He burried his face into her soft neck and closed his eyes. The only thing he could sense was her. Sound, sight, scent, touch and taste, they were all about her. He nibbled on her collar bone making her giggle and shiver. They settled back down again, both wishing they could stay there forever.   
  
"You know we will have to get up sooner or later." she said almost asleep again.   
  
"Later"   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Noin smiled as her new baby was placed in her arms. The ordeal was finally over, nine months, and hours of painful labor Noin and Zechs were able to look into the tiny face of their new born son. The nurse left the room to give the new family some time to get acquainted. The child blinked up at the two faces in front of him and gave a soft coo. A whole new world for him to grow in and explore.   
  
"He has your eyes Zechs." Noin said softly. "Hello there little one." the baby blinked its eyes adjusting to the bright light,"You're absolutely perfect."   
  
"Thank you Noin. This is the best Christmas gift anyone could have asked for." Zechs kissed his tired wife. The newborn cooed a bit more before settling down to sleep wrapped in the soft blue blanket. Warm and safe the newborn made no complaints.   
  
"I'm going to take him for now, you need rest." Zechs picked up his son amazed at the little marvel. The baby slept quietly in his arms and Zechs hoped he would always sleep that way at night but somehow he doubted he would be getting much sleep in the months to come. He turned slowly and headed for the door.   
  
"What's his name?" He stopped and turned to his wife.   
  
"What would you like to call him?" he asked her softly.   
  
"I'm not sure.. I was hopping for a girl remember. I looked for girl names, and you looked for boy." Noin looked at him for a moment. Zechs stared dumbly at the infant in his arms ."You didn't think of a single name did you?"   
  
"I did!.. I'm just not sure what would be best.." Zechs looked at the baby. So tiny, and so small. Innocent and blind to the pain and danger in his life to come. Unaware of the horrendous acts his father had committed in the past. What he might have to do again if something happened. But they would cross that bridge when, or if it came. `My son. Wrapped up like a Christmas gift. Christmas... Yes something like Christmas.. No not Chris, don't like that name to much.. But something close to that word. Close to the meaning.` The sound of caroler drifted down the hall..   
  
"Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.. Born is the king of Israel... "   
  
`He will be no king, because I am no longer a prince.. But that would make him a fine name.. Yes it will make him a fine name!` He smiled at his wonderful son. The name suited him perfectly.   
  
"Noel." said Zechs softly stroking the little face.   
  
"Yes," Noin said, "that is a beautiful name.."   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Colored paper and red ribbon covered the floor around the tree. All the gifts were open so they decided to watch a little t.v and have some warm apple cider. They cuddled on the couch and groaned in disappointment whenever one or the other had to move. The dark blue comforter from the bed wrapped around them.   
  
Hilde sipped her sidder. "So.."   
  
"Ya?" Duo brushed her hair out of her face.   
  
"Not many gifts left is there? Were going to have to find another way to pass time after." she kissed his neck making him shiver.   
  
"I'm sure we'll think of something."   
  
"Like maybe getting dressed?" she suggested. Then placed the cup on the coffee table before resting her chin on his chest looking up into his face. His wild hair covered almost everything around them.   
  
Duo snorted, "Baby. Were on our second honey-moon, clothes are un-important! "   
  
He hardly got the words out before she was kissing him again. Her soft lips pressed against his passionately exploring and tasting the other. They kissed for a while just enjoying the feeling of being together. The rest of the world around vanished into a blur as the kiss deepened, but Duo pulled away ending what was about to start. He took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.   
  
"Again?!? Could ya hold that thought for a while baby, I'm having trouble time keeping this up. Your running me ragged."   
  
Hilde lifted the covers and took a look, "looks fine to me."   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
"Thank you Cathy, it wonderful." Trowa gave his sister a huge then sat the green sweeter to one side and reaching for another gift. A red dancing santa pattern covered the paper and it was handed to Quatre. Trowa had wrapped it himself so he didn't need to read the tag.   
  
"Thank you Trowa. This is my favorite kind, how did you ever know?" The blond exclaimed jokingly reading the name of the tea box. Quatre placed the Red Rose Tea with the other thing he had received.   
  
Trowa being in the cirus travailed to all the colones, and all over earth. He had first come across this type of tea about four years ago and gave it to Quatre that Christmas, and it had been their tradition sense. This year Christmas was at the L5 colony where the circus was. The weather outside the tent was warm and sunny so they had planned on having a Christmas picnic for lunch.   
  
Then the limp pine branch with one (being all there were) to many ordaments on finally fell in a crumpled lifeless heap at there feet. Its light green needles scattered as the fell of the branch leaving a skeleton behind. The tin can it had been sitting in clattered and rolled away.   
  
"That sure was a Charley Brown Christmas Tree wasn't it?" Cathy Said starting tp clean up the mess with a broom and dustpan.   
  
"I though it was nice." the two just stared at Quatre. His optimism was just to much that time even for Trowa to handle.   
  
Trowa burst out laughing , "That wasn't even a tree Quatre!! It was a branch!"   
  
"Quiet you!" he heaved an arm full of gift wrapping at the un-banged pilot. This resulted in Trowa grabbing the nearest full garbage bag and heaving it back.   
  
However Catherine not wanting to have to clean it up after, stepped in the way of the flying garbage cursing her stupidity the moment she did so. The bag ripped open when it hit her sending paper everywhere like a ripped feather pillow. There was a moment of silence while the bits of wrapping paper settled all around the room covering her. Quatre was about to come to her aid when he saw the gleam in her eye that made him back off. She threw the contents of the dustpan at Trowa that lead to a garbage fight.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Snow gleamed in the morning light outside the french doors. She stood there wrapped in sheets watching the birds at the bird feeder fighting over seeds. Her fianceéé watched from the bed. She could sense his eyes on her, watching her every move, trying to draw her back to the bed. Still she watched the birds fight and flutter around the feeder. Dancing a cold winter morning dance on the snow. Larger Blue Jays bullied the smaller birds for better places at the feeder, but they retaliated in force and numbers and eventually drove the Jays out.   
  
Finally the pull was to strong and she gave in returning to warm comfort of her lovers arms. He brushed his fingers threw her brown hair still amazed he was where he was. Memories of the nights he would stand by her bed watching her sleep drifted back to him. The times he listened to her talk in her sleep and wonder if it was about him. And the times he would sit stroking her hair wishing she would stop crying. Those times seemed so long ago but they weren't even a year old.   
  
She remembered the night she woke and found him there. She knew he did not mean for her to know he was there. She knew it was not a dream that time, it was to real. Then making him stay was the hardest. If he had left her room that night, he would have never come back. Promising him she would go straight to sleep if he lay down beside her in bed he did. However sleep was the last thing on her mind. After a while she managed to get him into a conversation about the past few years. He knew everything about her life, from the meetings she attended to what her meals were. She found out about his apartment he owned, and the store he worked at, and a few other things about the past years without contact.   
  
They told each other their feelings that night, and shared themselves as well. The next morning when the sun arose Heero realized what a foolish move it was to get in bed with her. Now that Relena knew his feeling for him, she would hold on and never let go. So Heero did the only thing he could thing of at that moment. He settled back down in her arms and went back to sleep. A move he had not regretted, or ever believed he would have to.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
The steal blade reflected the possessors smile as it was put back into the box it had come in."I love it, thank you."   
  
Ribbon covered the floor where the cat, and dog had been chasing each other and now lay in a tangled heap. They lay a few feet apart too tangled to move. Sandy on his back barking furiously at Ottis who could only move one paw which he swung frantically at the dogs nose.   
  
Sally sat on the couch next to Wufei. "Looks like that's everything. Did you get everything you wanted?"   
  
He hugged her and kissed her. "I got everything I wanted last night. But I want to do this right," he said, get down on one knee and opened another rose shaped jewelry box. This time it contained an engagement ring. Two twisting hearts; silver and gold incirling a diamond, that gleamed in the Christmas tree lights.   
  
"Sally Po. Will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man in the world, and becoming my wife?" his dark eyes already shining with joy. He knew her answer already, but sensed he had already broken his code of honor by sleeping with her last night Wufei figured it would be best if he at least tried to keep the rest of the tradition.   
  
"Yes, I will." she said as he slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. He kissed his bride to be. The kiss lasted a few minutes wile the enjoyed themselves.   
  
"When do you want to get married?" she asked holding him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her on to his lap.   
  
"New Years Eve." he said.   
  
"Just something simple?" she asked. That would be the only thing they could do in so little time, or maybe a fifty dollar wedding in Lavages at the drive threw chapel O' love. `With Elvis himself as the preacher, and Buddy Holly on the piano. And then have the honeymoon in Lavages, that would be really nice!`   
  
"Unless you want something bigger?"   
  
Sally thought for a while then decided a small wedding with closest friends would be the best thing to do. Simple and quick so we didn't have to deal with a lot of hassle and lose ends. She could wear the white dress she had just bought, even though the symbol of white had no meaning anymore, and they could have Duo for a minister! Duo he would charge that much for a friend's wedding. She could have Noin as Maid of honour, and Lady Une, Relena, and Hilde as braids maids, and Zechs could be best man ! Everyone would be there, and it would be a perfect day!   
  
"No. Simple would be wonderful."   
  
  
  
TBC...... 


	15. Fateful Decisions

"Only a Moment..."   
Chapter 15   
~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
"Fateful decisions"   
  
The midday sun sent light through the painted windows of the church, coloring the people seated on the wooden benches in blue and gold. They sat waiting for one person to emerge from the large doors at the back of the church hall. Red stained glass cloaked the floor in a scarlet unearthly glow as they waited, chatting among themselves quietly.   
  
The white silk gown flowed around her legs as she hurried around the room putting the finishing touches on. Noin sat to the side feeding Noel. She was watching Sally dash back-and-forth like a mad women, wishing she could help more but a hungry baby needed attention.   
  
She took another look in the mirror and adjusted the off-white veil. Bought when she first joined the Preventers after the Eve wars, it was just something to burn money on but turned out to be handy; something old. The silver chain around her neck shimmered against her soft skin; something new. In her ears were pearls borrowed that morning from Relena; something borrowed. And in her hair, tiny blue flowers. Hardly noticeable except for the strong fragrance they give off; something blue. There, she had covered that clichéé. Now if she could keep Wufei away long enough everything would be covered. She took another look in the mirror to make sure everything was where it was suppose to be and nodded to Noin. She was ready to do this.   
  
He sat still in the chair holding a picture of him and Sally. He was sitting at his computer working on a document wile Sally leaned over watching him work. Taken four years ago in another life time. One that was so much simpler and happy, despite the fact that almost all those memories had faded away. It almost seamed like a dream, but the photo was proof that happier times had existed at one point. Faint proof to him though. The pain in his chest choked his breath, and blurred faded memories beyond recognition. The photo in his hand blurred with everything around. He wiped the tears from his eyes with his tux cuff and the photo came back into focus, but it didn't last long; it blurred again. This time he put the picture of a happier time into his coat pocket. His finger touched the velvet ring box and he took it out and opened it.   
  
The two hearts, silver and gold melted together, threaded together in existence. Unable to determine where one ended and the other began, it didn't matter; the fate of one was the fate of the other. They were one for eternity and longer. Fate had merged two hearts to beat as one, walk as one... exist as one. Protecting the diamond. The sole, life and meaning of the ring. Forever in twined, uninterrupted, protecting the diamond... its meaning .. Love.. Pure sweet love, in its most innocent form. The kind of love where just being near that other person is enough to make you cry from joy, and scream in anger. Hate, pain, tears, suffering, lust, carrying, devotions, fondness, joy, pleasure, and more all these things make up love. In its purest form there is no stronger power in the universe. The light of a thousand stars is nothing but a candle flame alongside. It can span the greatest gap between people, and melt the coldest heart. Like her love and caring for others that him brought him out of the shadows and into the light. Into a world of happiness he forgot existed.   
  
He closed the lid sealing away the ring. Heero was the best man so he needed to give him the ring till the exchange of gifts at the alter. Wufei burried his face in his hands and exhaled, hoping that his doubts and fears would leave, but they remained as he drew another breath. Then there was someone beside him. He appeared like a ghost, slightly he stood there next to him. Wufei didn't bother to look to see who it was next to him. It could only be one person, because only one person was able to get that close before he noticed. He could feel the other man's eyes watching him. He could tell by his ora that he watched him with sadness in his eyes. Wufei exhaled again and paused to gather his thoughts.   
  
"She's ready." Heero's voice was stright as usual. No tone in it what so ever, almost as bad as Trowa's. He paused another moment then handed Heero the ring and followed him to the hall.   
  
Relena, Hilde, and Lady Une stood to the side dressed in light blue matching dresses, while Trowa, and Heero stood beside Wufei. The wedding march started and Wufei turned to watch Sally, his bride to be walk up the aisle escorted by Quatre, who was going to give her away. She held a bouquet of lavender flowers tied with a red ribbon.   
  
The ceremony was short but meaningful; despite the priest being Duo himself. After they opened gifts. There was the usual photo albums and such, but then there were the other pilots gifts. Duo's and Hilde's was a waterbed. With a note from Duo to Wufei that wrote, "To make happy times easer." Relena and Heero gave then the keys to a romantic secluded cabin up in the Alpine mountains. It turned out later to be Heero's idea! Trowa gave them tickets to the Ballet, and Quatre gift was a resort vacation to the organic spa on L3.   
  
The music started playing softly and the small crowed cheered as Wufei and Sally stepped out onto the dance floor for the first dance. They ignored the hoots and hollers from their slightly too drunk comrades at the tables and drifted in an embrace over the floor. After a moment to take pictures of the happy couple they were joined by others. The music took over and the rest of the room vanished leaving just them.   
  
I am ready for love.   
Why are you hiding from me?   
I'd quit hiding my freedom   
to be held in your captivity.   
  
I am ready for love,   
all of the joy and the pain   
and all the time that it takes just to stay in your good grace,   
lately I've been thinking maybe   
you're not ready for me...   
  
  
  
"Did you have a good time today?" he asked taking off the jacket to his suit. It smelled strong of alcohol like he did, although he didn't drink more then a few glasses of wine at the ceremony after the wedding. He took a hanger from the closet and hung it up.   
  
"Yes I did. I loved it. You?" Sally put the suitcase on the bed and opened it.   
  
"I did." he came up behind Sally and hugged her, and shut his eyes enjoying the feel if her in his arms. It was right, that is how it was meant to be.   
  
"I think we have a problem..." Wufei opened his eyes and took a look at the suitcase.. Two pairs of pants, and two white t-shirt's, and a picture of a smiling face winking up at them. No more clothes, no socks, underwear, sweaters, toothbrushes, tooth paste, shaving stuff, hair brushes, nothing!   
  
"Duo!!!" they both said the same words as if it was cursed....which it was.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
The moon light shone down on the bench where they sat. The snow reveled paw prints from rabbits and birds that searched the woods during the day searching for food. It had been a bit over a month since the wedding and Wufei and Sally had spent most of their time up in the cabin Heero and Relena gave them. It was almost the middle of February and Sally's doctor had called to remind her of her appointment the end of the week, he also said he might have some good news.   
  
"So what are you going to do when we get back to HQ?"   
  
"Don't know.. See how things have been going out in the colonies, and if there's been to any trouble." Wufei watched a twinkling light move through the dark sky.   
  
Sally sat on the edge of the hospital bed in a white gown eyes trained on the door. Three hours, she had been in the hospital for three hours for a twenty minute visit. Why was it taking so long for the test results to return? Sally shook her head trying to clear her mind. Fear played before her eyes again as she imagined what it would be like to die. Painful, peaceful, or nothing at all? She knew she would find out soon.   
  
"I'm sorry.." the doctor shook his head as he relayed the new information to Wufei. "But there is nothing I can do. The choice is hers and your's to make."   
  
The room spun around till he thought he would throw up. He knees went weak and trembled as the white tile floor blurred. Wufei swallowed the lumpy substance in his throat.   
  
"Do you want me to tell her, or would you like to do it yourself?" he asked.   
  
Wufei shook his head. NO he did not want to tell her that! It was to much! `No, no, no! This wasn't suppose to happen! Oh Sally! Now I really am to blame for killing you! I know what you'll do, I know what you'll choose. Sally...... I love you, forgive me.`   
  
"All right." the doctor left and went to talk to Sally.   
  
The clock on the wall ticked loudly in the quiet room, tempting Sally to jump up and rip it off the wall and throw it out the window! Finally the door opened and the doctor walked in. Sally watched as her approached her, clipboard in one hand the other in a fist.   
  
"Mrs. Chang I have some information here that is quite interesting. I'm not quite sure how to explain this really..."   
  
"Please just say it straight, you don't need to sugar coat it." `More pity, oh how I hate it!`   
  
The doctor exhaled as he sat in a chair, tossed the clipboard on the counter and took off his glasses.   
  
"There is a cure for you, but if you decide to take it then... then the child you are carrying will die."   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
  
She rubbed her eyes again, they hurt from the reflecting light on the snow. Wufei was sleeping in the bed behind her. What was she going to do? Her life or her child's? His child..   
  
Flash Back   
The hospital   
  
"W.. Wh.. What? My child?"   
  
"Yes, we found out in your blood test. Your carrying a child."   
  
"What about the cure?"   
  
"You see, this is how it is. There is a cure, but if you decide to take it, then you will lose your child, and I can't guarantee you will be able to have a baby later. It's a wonder how you were able to conceive a child to start with! If you decided to wait and have the child then I can't use the medication, you will die...."   
  
End flashback   
  
She stood and returned to bed. Sally watched Wufei sleep soundly in front of her. Leaning forward she kissed his sleeping lips. The touch woke him up and for a moment did know what was happening, but soon realized. Sally deepened the kiss, and a tear rolled down his cheek as he understood what she was telling him. Without using words she was saying goodbye. Her special way of making him understand that this is what she must do. It felt like the shortest nights of their lives...   
  
  
TBC..... 


	16. Loves Purest Form

Sorry it took me so long to post this ^^'  
  
  
"Only a Moment..."   
Epilogue   
~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
"Loves Purest Form"   
  
The hot August sun sinks into the red pacific ocean; the day finally over. Lights streak the sky as thousands and thousands of shooting starts fall. If heaven itself were crying.   
A drained mother opens her eyes at the sound of her new baby crying. Some one is taking her out of her hands and she struggles to keep a grip on the child. But her arms are too weak to put up much of a fight and her baby is taken away. Her eyes open to meet the loving gaze of her husband. His dark eyes reassuring her that everything is fine. She smiles up at him from the bed. Her eyes close as a tear falls down her cheek. A tear for everything she will miss as her daughter grows up. First step, first word, first day for school, her wedding day. And for everything she has already done for her, she has brought her daughter into the world. A world surrounded by people who will love and care for her, and a wonderful father to watch over her, and a promise she will always be there in spirit.   
  
She squeezes Wufei's hand as she exhales for the last time then lays still. The heart monitor next to the bed counts three more heart beats before the cold dead buzz of the flat line starts. He kisses her hand as tears run down his face and laid it to rest by her side. Too much for the onlooker Quatre is the first to leave the room; his hand over his mouth in an attempt to silence the sobs. Relena, Noin, Zechs and Trowa leave the room together, leaving Heero, and Duo behind with Wufei, the baby and Sally.   
They stayed with him for a while just watching; Wufei sat there in what looked like shock. No one could blame him. Sally was his whole life and now she was gone. Gone forever and leaving a child for him to take care of and raise all on his own. Heero stepped forward and took the child from Wufei, and Duo gave him a shoulder to cry on.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
"I don't think he can handle it." Duo says. The others don't respond. He shifts his weight again on the hard wooden chair. "Well what I mean is right now he can't handle it. I mean, I think he needs a little to get over Sally.."   
"I don't think a little time will ever help him get over Sally... I don't think a long time will either." interrupted Quatre. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt again. The topic was making him upset. After watching so many die in the war, and making such close ties with everyone who survived it hurt to watch someone a wonderful and beautiful as Sally die. But he had to admit, no matter how much he missed his friend there was someone who missed her more. Quatre could always tell when Wufei was around from the pain he felt from him. He didn't even have to see him or be told he was there. Heartache and sorrow surrounded him like air.   
"I know, I know.. But I want to say is that,.. I don't know maybe for a little while. A month or two. Someone else should take care of Angel. Till Wufei is a bit better that's all."   
"Ya." they others nodded in agreement. Then sat there for a while in silence.   
"We'll take her," said Noin. Zechs caught her gaze. "Well we already have one, another can't hurt. Its only for a little while."   
"I don't think you should," said Trowa, "you know how much work a newborn is. You two look worn enough already."   
"Then why don't you take her?"   
"I would, but I live in a circus."   
"Ya I don't Wufei would be to happy if his little girl got eaten by a lion, or stepped on by and elephant." Duo laughed at his own joke but stopped when no one else even flinched. The room fell silent again as they thought.   
"I'll take her." everyone turned to Relena, "I can get my servants to pick up everything we need, and I have the next 6 months off. It would be good a good experience for us Heero." he stared at her blankly.   
"Then its settled!"   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Wufei closed the door behind them as they walked out the door with Angel. He had finally given in to the idea of letting Heero and Relena take care of her, but not for a whole month. Relena and Heero would take care of Angel for a few days and then give her back to Wufei. This would continue for a while till Wufei felt he would be able to take handle the situation. His dreams at night were of Sally, and he would wake up on a soaked pillow How could he take care of a crying baby when he couldn't stop crying himself?   
Everything reminded him of Sally. It would hurt to the point where he though he heard her laughing one night in the living room. He jumped out of bed and turned on the light switch but there was no one there. The voice had seemed so real for a moment he believed her dying was only a bad dream. Legs no longer able to support him he collapsed and cried.   
  
Thunder ripped threw the sky. A voice lost in the roar. Rain mixed with tears. Again he cried out but there was no true answer, only the lighting to guide him. Finally after he had cried out all his tears and his throat hurt from screaming did he go back inside. Standing there in the kitchen he heard her crying. His feet moved him toward her room painted pink with flowers and balloons on the border. Next to the crib he stood watching her. He smiled.   
"I'm sorry Angel. I'm so sorry believe me. But from now on I'm going to do my best to take care of you. No more crying. She wouldn't want me to cry anymore...."   
  
~~** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
"Do you want to get married or not Wufei?" the woman asked standing in the doorway. Her arms folded, she stood there waiting for him to answer, but Wufei simply stared out the window watching his six year old daughter play in the sand box with Noel her best friend. The two were laughing as they put the flag in top of the castle.   
"Wufei I ....."   
"I don't know Lori..."   
"She needs a mother..." sighing Lori moves from the doorway to stand next to him," I know you still love her but don't you think its time to move on? She would want you to be happy, and Angel."   
Wufei turned away. He did care for Lori. She had become his new partner a year after Sally had gone. A tall young strong women with jet black hair always cut short. Her and Wufei had grown close in the past five years and he had come to respect her but he would never love her and she knew that, but that didn't mean she couldn't fall for him. Wufei knew that Lori only wanted him to be happy, even if he would never love her. She though that if Angel had a mother that she liked then maybe that would make him happy, but the thought of marring someone else just to give his daughter a mother didn't seem right for some reason. He couldn't bring himself to say yes to her, no matter how much he knew she was right.   
"I'm sorry."   
Lori smiled, "its alright.. I understand. If you need me for anything I'll be there you know that."   
"Thank you.." Lori turned left him to watch his child play outside. Outside she snatched up her helmet and got on her cherry red motorcycle. Something grabbed her leg and she look down to see a pair of bright blue eye look up at her from under a mop of black hair.   
"Can I got for a ride!?!"Angel asked.   
"Next time sweety." she patted the little girls head. She looked a lot like her father.   
"Why are you crying? Did you and daddy have a fight?"   
"Oh no! No I just got some dirt in my eye that's all. I'm not crying." Lori quickly put the helmet on before she saw threw the lie, "take care kid. I'll see you later." Angel stepped back from the bike and waved till she was only a red dot.   
At that moment a car drove up the driveway. The window rolled down and Noin leaned out the window. "Hey Angel how are you?"   
"I'm good!"   
"Sorry but Noel has to go home now for supper. Can you go get him for me?"   
"Sure! We're finished the castle anyway."   
  
Light footsteps made Wufei look up from the bed. Angel came into the room and over to her daddy and hugged him. Puzzled for a moment he paused then hugged her back.   
"Daddy."   
"Yes sweety."   
"You don't have to marry Miss Lori if you don't want too. I like it just you and me." she said. Wufei smiled and hugged her again. "Thank you.."   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
Angel and Noel stood before the priest in a tiny chapel. The rows of benches filled with family and loved ones behind them. Wufei sat in the front row watching his little girl be married off.   
  
A movement drew his attention to the space above the couple. A flicker of feathers and the rusle of fabric she was gone. Wufei stated blankly at the image still present in his minds eye, smiled and turned back to his daughters wedding. Sally made it to the wedding after all.   
  
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~   
  
An old man lays on his death bed surrounded by family. His beloved daughter sits at his bed side holding his hand. He smiles at her then I gone.   
They women kisses his forehead and whispers good bye in his ear. Before leaving the room. Outside a young man around the age of twenty stands up from his chair and approaches her. The tears in her eyes says it all and he hugs her..   
"It's ok mom.. He's with grandma now, he's happy."   
  
In the space of eternity, two spirits find each other in the vastness and embrace for the rest of time. Two hearts, silver and gold melted together, threaded together in existence. Unable to determine where one ended and the other began. Love in its purest form....   
  
  
  
  
The End......... 


End file.
